IP Library Granted Patent US 10,997,991
Granted Patent B2
US 10,997,991 · App. 16/996,723 · Granted May 4, 2021

Spin orbital torque via spin hall effect based energy assisted magnetic recording

Inventors: Suping Song (Fremont, CA); Zhanjie Li (Pleasanton, CA); Terence Lam (Cupertino, CA); Lijie Guan (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G11B5/3906G11B5/6082G11B2005/0005
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,997,991
App. No.
16/996,723
Granted
May 4, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A magnetic recording head includes a trailing shield, a main pole, and a spin Hall layer. The spin Hall layer is disposed between the trailing shield and the main pole. A first spin torque layer is disposed between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield. A second spin torque layer is disposed between the spin Hall layer and the main pole.

Claims (56)

1. A magnetic recording head, comprising:

a trailing shield;

a main pole;

a spin Hall layer between the trailing shield and the main pole; and

a spin torque layer (STL) between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield, the STL comprising a negative magnetic anisotropy material.

2. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 , wherein the STL has a thickness from about 3 nm to about 5 nm.

3. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 , wherein the spin Hall layer comprises a heavy metal selected from a group consisting of beta phase tungsten (β-W), beta phase tantalum (β-Ta), platinum (Pt), hafnium (Hf), an alloy of tungsten, an alloy of tellurium (Te), bismuth doped copper, antiferromagnetic materials, and multiple layers thereof.

4. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the spin Hall layer is from about 3 nm to about 8 nm.

5. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 , wherein the spin Hall layer and the STL form a flat surface at a media facing surface of the magnetic recording head.

6. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 , wherein the spin Hall layer, the STL, the trailing shield, and the main pole form a flat surface at a media facing surface of the magnetic recording head.

7. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first charge current blocking layer between the STL and the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield; and

a second charge current blocking layer between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield.

8. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 , further comprising a charge current blocking layer between the STL and the spin Hall layer, the charge current blocking layer comprising a material that is a charge current insulator and a spin current conductor, wherein the charge current blocking layer has a thickness from about 0.5 nm to about 1.5 nm.

9. A magnetic media drive, comprising:

a magnetic recording head, comprising:

a trailing shield;

a main pole;

a spin Hall layer between the trailing shield and the main pole; and

a spin torque layer (STL) between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield, the STL comprising a negative magnetic anisotropy material.

10. A magnetic recording head, comprising:

a trailing shield;

a main pole;

a coil around the main pole:

a spin Hall layer between the trailing shield and the main pole; and

a trailing-shield-facing spin torque layer (STL) between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield, wherein the spin Hall layer is adapted to transmit a charge current in a cross-track direction between the trailing shield and the main pole.

11. The magnetic recording head of claim 10 , wherein the coil is adapted to excite the main pole in a main pole magnetization direction and to excite the trailing shield in a trailing shield magnetization direction.

12. The magnetic recording head of claim 10 , wherein the spin Hall layer is adapted to transmit a spin orbital torque to switch a magnetization of the trailing-shield-facing STL in a direction similar to a trailing shield magnetization direction.

13. The magnetic recording head of claim 10 , wherein the spin Hall layer is adapted to transmit a spin orbital torque to cause in-plane switching of a magnetization direction of the trailing-shield-facing STL.

14. The magnetic recording head of claim 13 , wherein the in-plane switching of the magnetization direction of the trailing-shield-facing STL generates a DC field in a same direction as a write field between the main pole and the trailing shield.

15. The magnetic recording head of claim 10 , wherein the spin Hall layer comprises beta phase tungsten (β-W), beta phase Tantalum (β-Ta), platinum (Pt), or combinations thereof.

16. The magnetic recording head of claim 10 , wherein the trailing-shield-facing STL comprises a negative magnetic anisotropy material.

17. A magnetic media drive, comprising:

a magnetic recording head, comprising:

a trailing shield;

a main pole;

a coil around the main pole:

a spin Hall layer between the trailing shield and the main pole; and

a trailing-shield-facing spin torque layer (STL) between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield, wherein the spin Hall layer is adapted to transmit a charge current in a cross-track direction between the trailing shield and the main pole.

18. A magnetic recording head, comprising:

a trailing shield;

a main pole;

a spin Hall layer between the trailing shield and the main pole;

a spin torque layer (STL) between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield; and

a charge current blocking layer between the STL and the spin Hall layer.

19. The magnetic recording head of claim 18 , wherein the charge current blocking layer comprises a material that is a charge current insulator and a spin current conductor.

20. The magnetic recording head of claim 18 , wherein the charge current blocking layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of magnesium oxide and yttrium iron garnet.

21. The magnetic recording head of claim 18 , wherein the charge current blocking layer has a thickness from about 0.5 nm to about 1.5 nm.

22. The magnetic recording head of claim 18 , wherein the spin Hall layer comprises beta phase tungsten (β-W), beta phase Tantalum (β-Ta), platinum (Pt), or combinations thereof, and wherein the STL comprises one or more layers of CoFe, CoIr, NiFe, CoFeX alloy wherein X is chosen from B, Ta, Re, Ir, or combinations thereof.

23. A magnetic media drive, comprising:

a magnetic recording head, comprising:

a trailing shield;

a main pole;

a spin Hall layer between the trailing shield and the main pole;

a spin torque layer (STL) between the spin Hall layer and the trailing shield; and

a charge current blocking layer between the STL and the spin Hall layer.

Assignments (5)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 054475 FRAME 0421 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058966/0358 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 054475/0421 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2020
From: SONG, SUPING; LI, ZHANJIE; LAM, TERENCE; GUAN, LIJIE
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053543/0711 →