Magnetic head having CPP sensor with improved stabilization of the magnetization of the pinned magnetic layer
AssigneeHGST Netherlands B.V.
InventorMustafa Michael Pinarbasi
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Abstract
A magnetic head having a CPP read head sensor that includes a layered sensor stack including an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, a pinned magnetic layer, and a free magnetic layer. The pinned magnetic layer is comprised of a high, positive magnetostriction material and has a thickness t and a height (H), such that the ratio (t/H) of the thickness t to the height H of the pinned magnetic layer is fabricated to be within the range of from approximately 1/10 to approximately 1/500. Ion milling is conducted at a grazing angle to the surface of the layer upon which the pinned magnetic layer is fabricated, where the ion beam is oriented in the direction of the desired magnetization of the pinned magnetic layer.
Claims28
A magnetic head, comprising:
- a CPP read sensor including a pinned magnetic layer and a free magnetic layer, wherein said sensor is formed with an air bearing surface (ABS);
- wherein a back wall of said free magnetic layer defines a sensor stripe height SH between the ABS and said back wall of said free magnetic layer;
- wherein said pinned magnetic layer has a back wall that defines a height H of said pinned magnetic layer between said ABS and said back wall of said pinned magnetic layer, and wherein H is greater than SH;
- and wherein said pinned magnetic layer is formed with a thickness t where the ratio of t/H is from approximately 1/10 to approximately 1/500;
- and
- wherein said pinned magnetic layer is comprised of a high positive magnetostriction material that is disposed upon a conditioned surface that has been ion milled.
A hard disk drive, comprising:
- a rotatable hard disk;
- a magnetic head being disposed for reading data from said hard disk, said magnetic head, including:
- a CPP read sensor including a pinned magnetic layer, and a free magnetic layer, wherein said sensor is formed with an air bearing surface (ABS);
- wherein a back wall of said free magnetic layer defines a sensor stripe height SH between the ABS and said back wall of said free magnetic layer;
- wherein said pinned magnetic layer has a back wall that defines a height H of said pinned magnetic layer between said ABS and said back wall of said pinned magnetic layer, and wherein H is greater than SH;
- and wherein said pinned magnetic layer is formed with a thickness t where the ratio of t/H is from approximately 1/10 to approximately 1/500;
- and
- wherein said pinned magnetic layer is comprised of a high positive magnetostriction material that is disposed upon a conditioned surface that has been ion milled.
A method for fabricating a magnetic head, comprising:
- depositing a layer having an upper surface upon a substrate;
- ion milling said upper surface to create a conditioned surface;
- fabricating a pinned magnetic layer directly upon said upper surface;
- said pinned magnetic layer being formed with a direction of magnetization that is in a first direction;
- wherein said ion milling of said upper surface is conducted at a grazing angle to said upper surface in a direction that is in said first direction;
- wherein said pinned magnetic layer is formed with a thickness t and a height H, wherein the ratio of t/H is from approximately 1/10 to approximately 1/500, and wherein said pinned magnetic layer is comprised of a high positive magnetostriction material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.