Spin-valve magnetoresistive thin film element
AssigneeAlps Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsMasamichi Saito, Naoya Hasegawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An antiferromagnetic layer is formed of a PtMn alloy which has high blocking temperature and further generates a great exchange coupling magnetic field with a first pinned magnetic layer. Further, by appropriately adjusting the film thickness ratio of the first pinned magnetic layer and a second pinned magnetic layer, the film thickness of a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer and the antiferromagnetic layer, and so forth, an exchange coupling magnetic field of at least 500 (Oe) or greater, preferably 1,000 (Oe) or greater, can be obtained.
Claims14
A spin-valve magnetoresistive thin film element configured to read a magnetic recording medium, said thin film element comprising:
- an antiferromagnetic layer,
- wherein said antiferromagnetic layer comprises one of an X—Mn alloy, where X is selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, Os and combinations thereof, and a Pt—Mn—X′ alloy, where X′ is selected from the group consisting of Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, Os, Au, Ag and combinations thereof;
- a pinned magnetic film contacting said antiferromagnetic layer, wherein a magnetizing direction is pinned by an exchange coupling magnetic field between said pinned magnetic film and said antiferromagnetic layer;
- wherein said pinned magnetic film includes a first pinned magnetic layer contacting said antiferromagnetic layer and a second pinned magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer therebetween, wherein said first pinned magnetic layer and said second pinned magnetic layer have different thicknesses, and
- wherein a direction of a synthesized magnetic moment formed by adding a magnetic moment of said first pinned magnetic layer and a magnetic moment of said second pinned magnetic layer points away from said magnetic recording medium;
- a free magnetic layer;
- and
- a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer formed between said free magnetic layer and said pinned magnetic film, wherein a magnetizing direction of said free magnetic layer is aligned so as to intersect with said magnetizing direction of said pinned magnetic film.
A spin-valve magnetoresistive thin film element configured to read a magnetic recording medium, said thin film element comprising:
- an antiferromagnetic layer,
- wherein said antiferromagnetic layer comprises one of an X—Mn alloy, where X is selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, Os and combinations thereof, and a Pt—Mn—X′ alloy, where X′ is selected from the group consisting of Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, Os, Au, Ag and combinations thereof;
- a pinned magnetic film contacting said antiferromagnetic layer, wherein a magnetizing direction is pinned by an exchange coupling magnetic field between said pinned magnetic film and said antiferromagnetic layer,
- wherein said pinned magnetic film includes a first pinned magnetic layer contacting said antiferromagnetic layer and a second pinned magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer therebetween,
- wherein a product of saturation magnetization Ms and film thickness t is a magnetic film thickness, wherein said first pinned magnetic film and said second pinned magnetic layer have different magnetic film thicknesses, and
- wherein a direction of a synthesized magnetic moment formed by adding a magnetic moment of said first pinned magnetic layer and a magnetic moment of said second pinned magnetic layer points away from said magnetic recording medium;
- a free magnetic layer;
- and
- a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer formed between said free magnetic layer and said pinned magnetic film, wherein a magnetizing direction of said free magnetic layer is aligned so as to intersect with the magnetizing direction of said pinned magnetic film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.