US 2026/0290389 A1 · Orthogonal Reading Using SOT-Based Readers or Mixed Readers in Vector Magnetic Recording

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a magnetic recording drive comprising a magnetic recording head having a read head. The read head comprises a first reader and a second reader, where the first reader is configured to read in-plane magnetic fields from a magnetic recording medium, and the second reader is configured to read out-of-plane fields from the medium. The first and second read heads are different. The read head is configured to perform vector reading. In one embodiment, both the first and second readers are single free layer (SFL) readers, where the first reader comprises soft bias side shields and the second reader comprises a rear hard bias structure. In another embodiment, the first reader comprises a dual free layer structure and the second reader comprises a SFL. In yet another embodiment, the second reader comprises a spin orbit torque layer while the first reader does not.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A read head, comprising:

a first sensor, the first sensor being one of:
(A) a first reader comprising:
a first spin orbit torque (SOT) layer disposed at a media facing surface (MFS);
a free layer disposed on the SOT layer;
and
soft bias (SB) side shields disposed adjacent to the free layer on the SOT layer at the MFS;
(B) a second reader comprising:
a dual free layer (DFL) structure disposed over a shield;
synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) side shields disposed adjacent to the DFL structure on the shield at the MFS;
and
an anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) layer disposed over the DFL structure and SAF side shields;
or
(C) a third reader comprising:
a first AFM layer;
a first anti-parallel (AP) layer disposed on the first AFM layer;
a second AP layer disposed over the first AP layer;
a free layer disposed over the second AP layer;
and
SB side shields disposed adjacent to the free layer at the MFS;
and a second sensor, comprising:
a SOT layer;
a free layer disposed on the SOT layer;
and
a rear hard bias (RHB) structure disposed adjacent to the free layer, the RHB structure being recessed from the MFS.

21 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Orthogonal Reading Using SOT-Based Readers or Mixed Readers in Vector Magnetic Recording

Life of this patent

Orthogonal Reading Using SOT-Based Readers or Mixed Readers in Vector Magnetic Recording

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21