Magnetic reader having a nonmagnetic insertion layer for the pinning layer
View Patent ↗A method and system provide a magnetic read apparatus. The magnetic read apparatus includes a read sensor. The read sensor includes a pinning layer, a nonmagnetic insertion layer and a pinned layer. The nonmagnetic insertion layer has a location selected from a first location and a second location. The first location is between the pinned layer and the pinning layer. The second location is within the pinning layer.
1. A magnetic apparatus comprising:
a magnetic sensor comprising:
a pinning layer;
a pinned layer over the pinning layer; and
a nonmagnetic insertion layer within the pinning layer.
2. The magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pinning layer comprises a first pinning layer and a second pinning layer, and wherein the nonmagnetic insertion layer is between the first pinning layer and the second pinning layer.
3. The magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an additional nonmagnetic insertion layer, wherein the additional nonmagnetic insertion layer is between the pinned layer and the pinning layer.
4. The magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nonmagnetic insertion layer comprises at least one of Ag, Mg, Mn, Ir, Pt, Cr, Ti, Si, C, Al, Ru, and Au.
5. The magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the nonmagnetic insertion layer in a direction perpendicular to a track width direction is at least one Angstrom and not more than five Angstroms.
6. The magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nonmagnetic insertion layer is discontinuous.
7. The magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensor further comprises:
a free layer; and
a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free layer and the pinned layer.
8. The magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensor further comprises:
a reference layer;
a nonmagnetic layer between the reference layer and the pinned layer;
a free layer; and
a barrier layer between the free layer and the reference layer.
9. A magnetic apparatus comprising:
a magnetic sensor comprising:
a pinning layer;
a pinned layer over the pinning layer; and
a nonmagnetic insertion layer, wherein a top surface of the nonmagnetic insertion layer is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the pinning layer.
10. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the nonmagnetic insertion layer is discontinuous.
11. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein nonmagnetic insertion layer comprises at least one of Ag, Mg, Mn, Ir, Pt, Cr, Ti, Si, C, Al, Ru, and Au.
12. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the nonmagnetic insertion layer in a direction perpendicular to a track width direction is at least one Angstrom and not more than five Angstroms.
13. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the magnetic sensor further comprises:
a free layer; and
a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the free layer and the pinned layer.
14. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the magnetic sensor further comprises:
a reference layer;
a nonmagnetic layer between the reference layer and the pinned layer;
a free layer; and
a barrier layer between the free layer and the reference layer.
15. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the nonmagnetic insertion layer shares an interface with the pinned layer.
16. The magnetic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the nonmagnetic insertion layer in a direction perpendicular to a track width direction is based upon a ratio of exchange field between the pinned layer and the pinning layer and a coercivity of the pinned layer.