Multi-layer conductor leads in a magnetoresistive head
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMao-Min Chen, Mary K. Gutberlet, Mohamad T. Krounbi, Jacqueline K. Latimer, Mustafa Pinarbasi
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Abstract
A magnetoresistive sensor includes a magnetoresistive material, formed on a substrate, and having a first edge and a second edge. A first multilayered conductive lead structure is electrically connected to the first edge, and a second multilayered conductive lead structure is electrically connected to the second edge. The first and second conductive lead structures are constructed of multiple layers of thin film materials that alternate between at least one layer of a thin film of a refractory metal interlaid between at least two thin film layers of a highly conductive metal.
Claims20
A magnetoresistive sensor comprising:
- a magnetoresistive material, formed on a substrate, having a first edge and a second edge;
- a first hard bias layer;
- a second herd bias layer;
- a first multilayered conductive lead structure formed over the first hard bias layer electrically connected to the first edge;
- and
- a second multilayered conductive lead structure formed over the second hard bias layer electrically connected to the second edge, wherein the first and second conductive lead structures are constructed of multiple layers of thin film materials, wherein the layers alternate between a thin film of a refractory metal and a thin film of a highly conductive metal, and further wherein the first and second conductive lead structures have a first refractory layer formed in contact with the first and second hard biased layers, respectively, and have at least a second refractory layer interlayered between two layers composed of the highly conductive metal.
A magnetic storage system comprising:
- a magnetic storage medium having a plurality of tracks for recording of data;
- and
- a magnetic transducer maintained in a closely spaced position relative to the magnetic storage medium during relative movement between the magnetic transducer and the magnetic storage medium, the magnetic transducer further including:
- a magnetoresistive material, formed on a substrate, having a first edge and a second edge;
- a first hard bias layer;
- a second hard bias layer;
- a first multilayered conductive lead structure formed over the first hard bias layer electrically connected to the first edge;
- a second multilayered conductive lead structure formed over the second hard bias layer electrically connected to the second edge, wherein the first and second conductive lead structures are constructed of multiple layers of thin film materials, wherein the layers alternate between a thin film of a refractory metal and a thin film of a highly conductive metal, and further wherein the first and second conductive lead structures have a first refractory layer formed in contact with the first and second hard biased layers, respectively, and have at least a second refractory layer interlayered between two layers composed of the highly conductive metal;
- actuator means coupled to the magnetic transducer for moving the magnetic transducer to selected tracks on the magnetic storage medium;
- and
- means coupled between the first and second multilayered conductive lead structures for detecting resistance changes in the magnetoresistive material responsive to magnetic fields representative of data bits recorded in the magnetic storage medium intercepted by the layer of magnetoresistive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.