Magnetic head having a magnetoresistive junction and side oxide layers
View Patent ↗A magnetic head including a magnetoresistive junction and an oxide layer. The magnetoresistive junction includes a pinned layer, a free layer, and a barrier layer residing between the pinned and free layer. The magnetoresistive junction includes at least one side having a smooth profile. The oxide layer is on the at least one side. The oxide layer is less than one nanometer thick at the free layer.
1. A magnetic head comprising:
a magnetoresistive junction including a pinned layer, a free layer, and a barrier layer residing between the pinned and free layer, the magnetoresistive junction including at least one side having a smooth profile; and
an oxide layer on the at least one side, the oxide layer being less than one nanometer and greater than zero nanometers thick at the free layer;
wherein the oxide layer consists of a single natural oxide layer, the single natural oxide layer being a natural oxide of the magnetoresistive junction.
2. The magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the magnetoresistive junction has a track width of not more than sixty nanometers.
3. The magnetic head of claim 2 wherein the track width is not more than fifty nanometers.
4. The magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the at least one side has a junction angle of at least forty and not more than eighty degrees.
5. A disk drive including a magnetic head comprising:
a magnetoresistive junction including a pinned layer, a free layer, and a barrier layer residing between the pinned and free layer, the magnetoresistive junction including at least one side having a smooth profile; and
an oxide layer on the at least one side, the oxide layer being less than one nanometer and greater than zero nanometers thick at the free layer;
wherein the oxide layer consists of a single natural oxide layer, the single natural oxide layer being a natural oxide of the magnetoresistive junction.