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US 2009/0257152 A1Published application
Magnetoresistive sensor with high tmr and low ra
AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorsWen-yaung Lee, Chang Man Park, Brian R. York, Alexander M. Zeltser
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Abstract
A magnetoresistive sensor having an antiparallel coupled pinned layer structure including an AP1 layer and an AP2 layer. The AP2 layer includes two ferromagnetic layers AP2(a) and AP2(b), and a separation layer sandwiched therebetween. The AP2(a) layer is significantly larger than the AP2(b) layer, which results in strong pinning, while the separation layer provides increased TMR and reduced RA.
Claims20
A magnetic head, comprising:
- a magnetoresistive read sensor including a free layer, a barrier layer and a pinned structure between the barrier layer and an antiferromagnetic pinning layer, the pinned structure comprising:
- a first pinned layer exchange coupled to the antiferromagnetic pinning layer;
- an antiparallel coupling layer;
- and
- a second pinned stack disposed between the barrier layer and the antiparallel coupling layer and antiparallel coupled to the first pinned layer, wherein the second pinned stack includes a first magnetic layer AP2(a), a second magnetic layer AP2(b) and thin layer of Ta sandwiched between AP2(a) and AP2(b), and wherein AP2(b) located between the thin layer of Ta and the barrier layer, and AP2(a) has a greater thickness than AP2(b).
2 more elements
The magnetic head of claim 6, wherein the layer of Ta has a thickness 0.5 to 1.5 Angstroms.
A magnetic head, comprising:
- a magnetoresistive read sensor including a free layer, a barrier layer and a pinned structure between the barrier layer and an antiferromagnetic pinning layer, the pinned structure comprising:
- a first pinned layer (AP1) exchange coupled to the antiferromagnetic pinning layer;
- an antiparallel coupling layer;
- and
- a second pinned stack disposed between the barrier layer and the antiparallel coupling layer and antiparallel coupled to the first pinned layer, wherein the second pinned stack includes a compositionally distinct nanocrystalline layer between a first magnetic layer (AP2(a)) and a second magnetic layer (AP2(b)), wherein AP2(b) is located between the antiparallel coupling layer and the barrier layer, and wherein AP2(a) has a greater thickness than AP2(b).
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.