Read Sensor With Ordered Heusler Alloy Free Layer and Semiconductor Barrier Layer

A read sensor, comprising:

• a shield;
• an amorphous break layer disposed over the shield;
• a seed layer comprising RuAl disposed over the amorphous break layer, the seed layer having a BCC texture and a (100) orientation;
• a first Heusler alloy layer disposed over the seed layer, the first Heusler alloy layer having a BCC texture and a (100) orientation;
• a semiconductor barrier layer disposed over the first Heusler alloy layer, the semiconductor barrier layer comprising ZnSe, ZnTe, ZnO, CuSe, or CuInGaSe;
• and
• a second Heusler alloy layer disposed over the semiconductor barrier layer, the second Heusler alloy layer having a BCC texture and a (100) orientation.

A read sensor, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic shield disposed on the substrate, the magnetic shield having a FCC texture;
• an amorphous break layer disposed on the shield, the amorphous break layer comprising CoFeBTa;
• a seed layer comprising RuAl disposed on the amorphous break layer, the seed layer having a BCC texture and a (100) orientation;
• a first ferromagnetic layer disposed on the seed layer, the first ferromagnetic layer having a BCC texture and a (100) orientation;
• a semiconductor barrier layer disposed on the first ferromagnetic layer, the semiconductor barrier layer comprising ZnSe, ZnTe, ZnO, CuSe, or CuInGaSe;
• a second ferromagnetic layer disposed over the barrier layer, the second ferromagnetic layer having a BCC texture and a (100) orientation;
• and
• a cap layer disposed over the second ferromagnetic layer.