Tunnel magnetoresistive sensor having conductive ceramic layers
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRobert G. Biskeborn, Calvin S. Lo, Philip M. Rice, Teya Topuria
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a sensor having an active region, a magnetic shield adjacent the active region, a spacer between the active region and the magnetic shield, a second magnetic shield on an opposite side of the active region as the magnetic shield, and a second spacer between the active region and the second magnetic shield. Both spacers include an electrically conductive ceramic layer. The electrically conductive ceramic layer of the spacer has a different composition than the electrically conductive ceramic layer of the second spacer.
Claims24
An apparatus, comprising:
- an array of sensors sharing a common media-facing surface,
- each sensor having an active region;
- a magnetic shield adjacent the active region;
- a spacer between the active region and the magnetic shield;
- a second magnetic shield on an opposite side of the active region as the magnetic shield;
- and
- a second spacer between the active region and the second magnetic shield, wherein both spacers include an electrically conductive ceramic layer, wherein the electrically conductive ceramic layer of the spacer has a different composition than the electrically conductive ceramic layer of the second spacer.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a sensor having an active region;
- a magnetic shield adjacent the active region;
- a spacer between the active region and the magnetic shield;
- a second magnetic shield on an opposite side of the active region as the magnetic shield;
- and
- a second spacer between the active region and the second magnetic shield, wherein both spacers include an electrically conductive ceramic layer, wherein one of the spacers includes the electrically conductive ceramic layer and another of the spacers is metallic or a metallic alloy.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an array of sensors sharing a common media-facing surface,
- each sensor having an active region;
- a magnetic shield adjacent the active region;
- a spacer between the active region and the magnetic shield, wherein the spacer includes an electrically conductive ceramic layer;
- and
- a durable layer on an opposite side of the shield as the spacer, the durable layer being harder than the shield nearest thereto.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a sensor having an active tunnel magnetoresistive region, wherein the tunnel magnetoresistive region comprises a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and a reference layer;
- a magnetic shield adjacent the tunnel magnetoresistive region;
- a capping layer between the tunnel magnetoresistive region and the magnetic shield;
- and
- a spacer between the tunnel magnetoresistive region and the capping layer,
- wherein the spacer includes an electrically conductive ceramic layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.