# US 2014/0153137 A1 · Magnetic Element with Coupled Side Shield

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- Number: US 2014/0153137 A1
- Document ID: US20140153137A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/690,204
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC
- Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC
- Inventors: Shaun Eric McKinlay; Liwen Tan; Eric Walter Singleton; Mohammed Shariat Ullah Patwari; Victor Boris Sapozhnikov
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153137A1

## CPC

- G11B 5/48: Disposition or mounting of heads {or head supports} relative to record carriers {(mounting of head within housing G11B5/105); arrangements of heads, e.g. for scanning the record carrier to increase the relative speed (driving of both record carriers and head G11B15/18; guiding record carriers G11B15/60; head selecting circuits G11B15/12)}
- G01R 33/093: {using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors (thin magnetic films H01F10/00)}
- G11B 5/3912: {Arrangements in which the active read-out elements are transducing in association with active magnetic shields, e.g. magnetically coupled shields (G11B5/3916 takes precedence)}
- G11B 5/3932: {Magnetic biasing films}
- H01F 10/3272: {by use of anti-parallel coupled [APC] ferromagnetic layers, e.g. artificial ferrimagnets [AFI], artificial [AAF] or synthetic [SAF] anti-ferromagnets}
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES

## Abstract

A magnetic element may be constructed in accordance with various embodiments as a data reader. The magnetic element can have at least a magnetic reader that contacts a top shield and is separated from a side shield on an air bearing surface (ABS). The side shield may be antiferromagnetically coupled to the top shield via a coupling layer disposed between the top and side shields.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A magnetic element comprising a magnetic reader contacting a top shield and separated from a side shield on an air bearing surface (ABS), the top shield comprising first and second ferromagnetic layers separated by a first coupling layer that forms a first synthetic antiferromagnet, the side shield antiferromagnetically coupled to the top shield via a second coupling layer of the top shield that forms a second synthetic antiferromagnet with the second ferromagnetic layer, the first and second ferromagnetic layers having different thicknesses to provide different magnetic strengths for the first and second synthetic antiferromagnets.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the first synthetic antiferromagnet comprises a pinning layer, the first coupling layer, and the first and second ferromagnetic layers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling layers are common materials.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the second coupling layer comprises a transition metal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the second coupling layer continuously extends to contact the side shield and magnetic reader.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the side shield comprises a single layer of ferromagnetic material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the top shield comprises a pinning layer contacting the first ferromagnetic layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The magnetic element of claim 7, wherein the pinning layer comprises an antiferromagnet.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the side shield comprises a soft magnetic material pinned to a predetermined magnetic orientation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the magnetic reader comprises a trilayer lamination of magnetically free layers without a fixed reference structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The magnetic element of claim 1, wherein the magnetic reader comprises a magnetoresistive lamination of fixed and free magnetic layers.

### Claim 12

A data reader comprising:
a magnetic reader disposed between and separated from first and second side shields on an air bearing surface (ABS); and
a top shield comprising first and second ferromagnetic layers separated by a first coupling layer that forms a first synthetic antiferromagnet, the top shield contacting the first and second side shields and the magnetic reader, each side shield forming a second synthetic antiferromagnetic structure by antiferromagnetically coupling to the top shield via a second coupling layer of the top shield, the first and second ferromagnetic layers having different thicknesses to provide different magnetic strengths for the first and second synthetic antiferromagnets.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The data reader of claim 12, wherein the second coupling layer continuously extends from the first side shield to the second side shield across the magnetic reader and the second coupling layer is separated from the first coupling layer by the second ferromagnetic layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The data reader of claim 12, wherein the first coupling layer is separated from and positioned a predetermined distance from the magnetic reader.

### Claim 15

The data reader of clam 12, wherein the second coupling layer comprises a transition metal that differs from the first coupling layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The data reader of claim 12, wherein the first coupling layer is disposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layers of the top shield.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The data reader of claim 12, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer is pinned to a predetermined magnetization by contacting a pinned layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The data reader of claim 12, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer has a smaller thickness than the second ferromagnetic layer.

### Claim 19

An apparatus comprising:
a magnetic reader contacting a top shield and separated from a side shield on an air bearing surface (ABS);
means for antiferromagnetically coupling the side shield to the top shield with a first magnetic strength; and
means for antiferromagnetically coupling first and second ferromagnetic layers of the top shield with a second magnetic strength that differs from the first magnetic strength.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for antiferromagnetically coupling the side shield to the top shield comprises a lamination of the side shield, a first coupling layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer, the means for antiferromagnetically coupling the first and second ferromagnetic layers of the top shield comprising a lamination of the first coupling layer, first ferromagnetic layer, a second coupling layer, a second coupling layer, and a pinning layer.