US 2021/0233560 A1 · Spin-Torque Oscillator With Multilayer Seed Layer Between The Write Pole And The Free Layer In A Magnetic Recording Write Head

Abstract

A magnetic recording write head and system has a spin-torque oscillator (STO) located between the write head's write pole and trailing shield. The STO's ferromagnetic free layer is located near the write pole with a multilayer seed layer between the write pole and the free layer. The STO's nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the free layer and the STO's ferromagnetic polarizer. The polarizer may be the trailing shield of the write head, one or more separate polarizer layers, or combinations thereof. The STO electrical circuitry causes electron flow from the write pole to the trailing shield. The multilayer seed layer removes the spin polarization of electrons from the write pole, which enables electrons reflected from the polarizer layer to become spin polarized, which creates the spin transfer torque on the magnetization of the free layer. The multilayer seed layer includes a Mn or a Mn-alloy layer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A magnetic recording drive, comprising:

a recording layer,
a write head moveable relative to the recording layer, the write head comprising:
a main pole;
a trailing shield;
a spin-torque oscillator (STO) coupled to the main pole and the trailing shield and having a surface facing the recording layer;
the STO comprising:
a nonmagnetic electrically conductive seed layer on the main pole, the nonmagnetic electrically conductive seed layer comprising a short spin diffusion length layer;
a polarizer layer;
and
a ferromagnetic free layer between the polarizer layer and the trailing shield.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/228,088Filed 12 Apr 2021

Priority

22 Mar 2019

Published

29 Jul 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G11B 5/3912
Details related to the use of magnetic thin film layers or to their effects: arrangements in which the active read-out elements are transducing in…
G11B 5/1278
Structure or manufacture of heads, e.g. inductive: specially adapted for magnetisations perpendicular to the surface of the record carrier
G11B 5/3133
Disposition of layers: including layers not usually being a part of the electromagnetic transducer structure and providing additional features,…
G11B 5/3143
Disposition of layers: including additional layers for improving the electromagnetic transducing properties of the basic structure, e.g. for flux…

Family

Application62/822,122Us provisional application · filed 22 Mar 2019

Application16/792,060Division · filed 14 Feb 2020

Application17/228,088Division

US 10,997,993 B1Related patent

US 11,646,052 B2Related patent

US 2021/0233560 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Spin-Torque Oscillator With Multilayer Seed Layer Between The Write Pole And The Free Layer In A Magnetic Recording Write Head

Life of this patent

Spin-Torque Oscillator With Multilayer Seed Layer Between The Write Pole And The Free Layer In A Magnetic Recording Write Head

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20