Side shielded magnetoresistive (MR) read head with perpendicular magnetic free layer

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9761254
APP PUB NO 20170077391A1
SERIAL NO

15363168

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Abstract

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A MR sensor is disclosed that has a free layer (FL) with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), which eliminates the need for an adjacent hard bias structure to stabilize free layer magnetization, and minimizes shield-FL interactions. In a TMR embodiment, a seed layer, free layer, junction layer, reference layer, and pinning layer are sequentially formed on a bottom shield. After forming a sensor sidewall that stops in the seed layer or on the bottom shield, a conformal insulation layer is deposited. Thereafter, a top shield is formed on the insulation layer and includes side shields that are separated from the FL by a narrow read gap. The sensor is scalable to widths <50 nm when PMA is greater than the FL self-demag field. Effective bias field is rather insensitive to sensor aspect ratio, which makes tall stripe and narrow width sensors viable for high RA TMR configurations.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES INCMILPITAS CA

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Bai, Zhi Gang Fremont, US 4 27
Zhang, Kunliang Fremont, US 146 3314
Zhou, Yuchen San Jose, US 222 4833

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