Spin-orbit torque SOT reader with recessed spin hall effect layer

A magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a first shield extending to a media facing surface (MFS);
• a first free layer disposed over the first shield, the first free layer being disposed at the MFS;
• a first bismuth antimony (BiSb)-comprising layer comprising BiSb disposed over the first free layer, the first BiSb-comprising layer being recessed from the MFS;
• a second shield disposed over the first BiSb-comprising layer, the second shield extending to the MFS;
• a first shield notch coupled to the second shield, the first shield notch being disposed between the first shield and the second shield, wherein the first BiSb-comprising layer is recessed from the MFS by the first shield notch;
• a third shield extending to the MFS, the third shield being disposed over the second shield;
• a second free layer disposed over the third shield, the second free layer being disposed at the MFS;
• a second BiSb-comprising layer comprising BiSb disposed over the second free layer, the second BiSb-comprising layer being recessed from the MFS;
• a fourth shield disposed over the second BiSb-comprising layer, the fourth shield extending to the MFS;
• and
• a second shield notch coupled to the fourth shield, the second shield notch being disposed between the third shield and the fourth shield, wherein the second BiSb-comprising layer is recessed from the MFS by the second shield notch.

A magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a first shield extending to a media facing surface (MFS);
• a first free layer disposed over the first shield, the first free layer being disposed at the MFS;
• a first bismuth antimony (BiSb)-comprising layer comprising BiSb disposed over the first free layer, the first BiSb-comprising layer being recessed from the MFS;
• a second shield disposed over the first BiSb-comprising layer, the second shield extending to the MFS;
• a first shield notch coupled to the second shield, the first shield notch being disposed between the first shield and the second shield, wherein the first BiSb-comprising layer is recessed from the MFS by the first shield notch;
• a second free layer disposed over the second shield, the second free layer being disposed at the MFS;
• a second BiSb-comprising layer comprising BiSb disposed over the second free layer, the second BiSb-comprising layer being recessed from the MFS;
• a third shield disposed over the second BiSb-comprising layer, the third shield extending to the MFS;
• and
• a second shield notch coupled to the third shield, the second shield notch being disposed between the second shield and the third shield, wherein the second BiSb-comprising layer is recessed from the MFS by the second shield notch.