Spin valve sensor with stable antiparallel pinned layer structure exchange coupled to a nickel oxide pinning layer

A magnetic head assembly having a read head and a write head and an air bearing surface (ABS) comprising:

• the write head including:
• first and second pole piece layers;
• each of the first and second pole piece layers having a yoke portion located between a pole tip portion and a back gap portion;
• a nonmagnetic write gap layer located between the pole tip portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein located between the yoke portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• and
• the first and second pole piece layers being connected at their back gaps portions;
• and
• the read head including:
• a spin valve sensor;
• first and second lead layers electrically connected to the spin valve sensor;
• nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers;
• the spin valve sensor and the first and second lead layers being located between the first and second read gap layers;
• the spin valve sensor including:
• a ferromagnetic free layer structure having a magnetic moment that is free to rotate from a first direction in response to signal fields from a moving magnetic medium;
• a ferromagnetic antiparallel (AP) pinned layer structure;
• an antiferromagnetic (AFM) pinning layer exchange coupled to the AP pinned layer structure for pinning a magnetic moment of the AP pinned layer structure in a second direction;
• a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer located between the free layer structure and the AP pinned layer structure;
• the (AP) pinned layer structure including:
• first and second antiparallel (AP) pinned layers;
• an antiparallel (AP) coupling layer between the first and second AP pinned layers;
• and
• the first AP pinned layers including a first pinned film that has a positive magnetostriction and a second pinned film that is composed of cobalt (Co) or cobalt iron (CoFe);
• and
• the second pinned film being located between and interfacing each of the first pinned film and the AP coupling layer.

A magnetic disk drive having at least one slider that has an air bearing surface (ABS), the slider supporting at least one magnetic head assembly that includes a read head and a write head, the disk drive comprising:

• the write head including:
• first and second pole piece layers;
• each of the first and second pole piece layers having a yoke portion located between a pole tip portion and a back gap portion;
• a nonmagnetic write gap layer located between the pole tip portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein located between the yoke portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• and
• the first and second pole piece layers being connected at their back gaps portions;
• and
• the read head having a spin valve sensor that includes:
• a ferromagnetic free layer structure having a magnetic moment that is free to rotate from a first direction in response to signal fields from a moving magnetic medium;
• a ferromagnetic antiparallel (AP) pinned layer structure;
• an antiferromagnetic (AFM) pinning layer exchange coupled to the AP pinned layer structure for pinning a magnetic moment of the AP pinned layer structure in a second direction;
• a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer located between the free layer structure and the AP pinned layer structure;
• the (AP) pinned layer structure including:
• first and second antiparallel (AP) pinned layers;
• an antiparallel (AP) coupling layer between the first and second AP pinned layers;
• the first AP pinned layers including a first pinned film that has a positive magnetostriction and a second pinned film that is composed of cobalt (Co) or cobalt iron (CoFe);
• and
• the second pinned film being located between and interfacing each of the first pinned film and the AP coupling layer;
• the read head further including:
• nonmagnetic conductive first and second lead layers electrically connected to the spin valve sensor;
• nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers;
• the spin valve sensor and the first and second lead layers being located between the first and second read gap layers;
• a ferromagnetic first shield layer;
• and
• the first and second read gap layers being located between the first shield layer and the first pole piece layer;
• and
• a housing;
• a magnetic disk rotatably supported in the housing;
• a support mounted in the housing for supporting the magnetic head assembly with its ABS facing the magnetic disk so that the magnetic head assembly is in a transducing relationship with the magnetic disk;
• a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disk;
• an actuator connected to the support for moving the magnetic head assembly to multiple positions with respect to said magnetic disk;
• and
• a processor connected to the magnetic head assembly to the means for rotating the magnetic disk and to the positioning means for exchanging signals with the magnetic head assembly, for controlling movement of the magnetic disk and for controlling the position of the magnetic head assembly.

A magnetic read head having an air bearing surface (ABS) comprising:

• a spin valve sensor that includes:
• a ferromagnetic free layer structure having a magnetic moment that is free to rotate from a first direction in response to signal fields from a moving magnetic medium;
• a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure;
• an antiferromagnetic (AFM) pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning a magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure in a second direction;
• a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer located between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure;
• and
• the first pinned film having a positive magnetostriction and the second pinned film being cobalt (Co) or cobalt iron (CoFe) and being located between the first pinned film and spacer layer.