Granted Patent B1

US 9,361,914 · App. 14/308,421 · Granted Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

Claims (58)

1. A magnetic sensor comprising:

a composite layer comprising a free layer portion and a bias layer portion surrounding opposing sides of the free layer portion, each of the free layer portion and the bias layer portion comprising a magnetic material;

a first shield layer comprising a magnetic material;

a second shield layer comprising a magnetic material;

a seed layer between the second shield layer and the composite layer; and

a continuous spacer layer comprising a non-magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Ru, Cu, Cr, Au, and Ag, the continuous spacer layer separating the first shield layer from the composite layer such that the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion is stronger than the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the free layer portion,

wherein the continuous spacer layer is disposed between the first shield layer and the free layer portion,

wherein the continuous spacer layer is disposed between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion, and

wherein the continuous spacer layer contacts the free layer portion.

2. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a thickness of from about 1 to about 30 angstroms.

3. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a thickness of about 3 to about 20 angstroms or less.

4. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a thickness of about 5 to about 10 angstroms.

5. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the free layer portion comprises a first free layer and a second free layer, wherein the first free layer is located between the continuous spacer layer and the second free layer, and wherein the first free layer is selected from the group consisting of CoFe alloy or a CoFeB alloy.

6. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the free layer portion is less than about 0.01 erg/cm 2 and the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion is greater than about 0.5 erg/cm 2 .

7. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the continuous spacer layer contacts the bias layer portion.

8. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a material that provides magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion and magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the free layer portion.

9. The magnetic sensor of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic coupling comprises Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) coupling.

10. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 , wherein the material of the free layer portion is a CoFe alloy or a CoFeB alloy.

11. The magnetic sensor of claim 10 , wherein the free layer portion comprises elemental iron or a CoB alloy.

12. The magnetic sensor of claim 10 , wherein the material of the bias layer portion comprises a NiFe alloy.

13. A disk drive comprising:

a rotatable magnetic recording disk; and

a slider including a magnetic sensor arranged with the magnetic recording disk, the magnetic sensor including:

a composite layer comprising a free layer portion and a bias layer portion surrounding opposing sides of the free layer portion, each of the free layer portion and the bias layer portion comprising a magnetic material;

a first shield layer comprising a magnetic material;

a second shield layer comprising a magnetic material;

a seed layer between the second shield layer and the composite layer; and

a continuous spacer layer comprising a non-magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Ru, Cu, Cr, Au, and Ag, the continuous spacer layer separating the first shield layer from the composite layer such that the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion is stronger than the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the free layer portion,

wherein the continuous spacer layer is disposed between the first shield layer and the free layer portion,

wherein the continuous spacer layer is disposed between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion, and

wherein the continuous spacer layer contacts the free layer portion.

14. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a thickness of from about 1 to about 30 angstroms.

15. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a thickness of about 3 to about 20 angstroms or less.

16. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a thickness of about 5 to about 10 angstroms.

17. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the free layer portion comprises a first free layer and a second free layer, wherein the first free layer is located between the continuous spacer layer and the second free layer, and wherein the first free layer is selected from the group consisting of CoFe alloy or a CoFeB alloy.

18. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the free layer portion is less than about 0.01 erg/cm 2 and the magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion is greater than about 0.5 erg/cm 2 .

19. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the continuous spacer layer contacts the bias layer portion.

20. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a material that provides magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the bias layer portion and magnetic coupling between the first shield layer and the free layer portion.

21. The disk drive of claim 20 , wherein the magnetic coupling comprises Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) coupling.

22. The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the material of the free layer portion is a CoFe alloy or a CoFeB alloy.

23. The disk drive of claim 22 , wherein the free layer portion comprises elemental iron or a CoB alloy.

24. The disk drive of claim 22 , wherein the material of the bias layer portion comprises a NiFe alloy.

25. A method of manufacturing a magnetic sensor, the method comprising:

depositing a first shield layer comprising a magnetic material;

depositing a seed layer;

depositing a free layer portion comprising a magnetic material, such that the seed layer is disposed between the first shield layer and the free layer portion;

depositing a bias layer portion comprising a magnetic material such that the bias layer portion surrounds opposing sides of the free layer portion, thereby forming a composite layer comprising the free layer portion and the bias layer portion;

depositing a continuous spacer layer comprising a non-magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Ru, Cu, Cr, Au, and Ag; and

depositing a second shield layer comprising a magnetic material such that the continuous spacer layer separates the second shield layer from the composite layer,

wherein the magnetic coupling between the second shield layer and the bias layer portion is stronger than the magnetic coupling between the second shield layer and the free layer portion,

wherein the continuous spacer layer is disposed between the second shield layer and the free layer portion,

wherein the continuous spacer layer is disposed between the second shield layer and the bias layer portion, and

wherein the continuous spacer layer contacts the free layer portion.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising milling a portion of the free layer portion prior to depositing the bias layer portion.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a thickness of from about 1 to about 30 angstroms.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the continuous spacer layer contacts the bias layer portion.

29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the continuous spacer layer comprises a material that provides magnetic coupling between the second shield layer and the bias layer portion and magnetic coupling between the second shield layer and the free layer portion.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the magnetic coupling is Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) coupling.

Assignments (8)