Back to results
US 7,027,274 B1Granted
Spin-dependent tunneling read/write sensor for hard disk drives
AssigneeWestern Digital (Fremont), LLC
InventorsKyusik Sin, Yingjian Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hard biased spin-dependent tunneling sensor and manufacturing method therefor is provided having a substrate with a first lead formed thereon. A hard magnet is formed over the first lead and a free layer is formed over the hard magnet. A tunneling barrier layer with a first pinned layer formed thereon is formed over the free layer. A nonmagnetic coupling layer with a second pinned layer formed thereon is formed over the first pinned layer. A pinning layer is formed over the second pinned layer and a second lead is formed over the pinning layer.
Claims18
A method for manufacturing a hard bias spin-dependent tunneling sensor comprising:
- forming a first lead;
- forming a first gap spacer adjacent the first lead
- forming a hard magnet over the first lead, and around and in contact with the first gap spacer;
- forming a free layer over the hard magnet;
- forming a tunneling barrier layer over the free layer;
- forming a first pinned layer over the tunneling barrier layer and overhanging the hard magnet;
- forming a nonmagnetic coupling layer over the first pinned layer;
- forming a second pinned layer over the nonmagnetic coupling layer;
- forming a pinning layer over the second pinned layer;
- and
- forming a second lead over the pinning layer.
8 more elements
A method for manufacturing a hard bias spin-dependent tunneling sensor comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- forming over the substrate, a shield/first lead of a conductive material;
- forming a first gap spacer adjacent the shield/first lead;
- forming over the shield/first lead, a hard magnet containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, chrome, platinum, tantalum, and a combination thereof, the hard magnet being is formed around and in contact with the first gap spacer;
- forming over the hard magnet, a free layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, nickel, and a combination thereof;
- forming over the free layer, a tunneling barrier layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, chromium, an oxide, a nitride, and a combination thereof;
- forming over the tunneling barrier layer and overhanging the hard magnet, a first pinned layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, nickel, and a combination thereof;
- forming over the first pinned layer, a nonmagnetic coupling layer containing ruthenium;
- forming over the nonmagnetic coupling layer, a second pinned layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, nickel, and a combination thereof;
- forming over the second pinned layer, a pinning layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of platinum, palladium, manganese, iron, nickel, iridium, an oxide, and a combination thereof;
- and
- forming over the pinning layer, a shield/second lead of a conductive material.
9 more elements
A hard bias spin-dependent tunneling sensor comprising:
- a first lead;
- a first gap spacer adjacent the first lead;
- a hard magnet over the first lead, the hard magnet formed around and in contact with the first gap spacer;
- a free layer over the hard magnet;
- a tunneling barrier layer over the free layer;
- a first pinned layer over the tunneling barrier layer and overhanging the hard magnet;
- a nonmagnetic coupling layer over the first pinned layer;
- a second pinned layer over the nonmagnetic coupling layer;
- a pinning layer over the second pinned layer;
- and
- a second lead over the pinning layer.
8 more elements
A hard bias spin-dependent tunneling sensor comprising:
- a substrate;
- a shield/first lead of a conductive material over the substrate;
- a first gap spacer adjacent the shield/first lead a hard magnet containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, chrome, platinum, tantalum, and a combination thereof over the shield/first lead, the hard magnet formed around and in contact with the first gap spacer;
- a free layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, nickel, and a combination thereof over the hard magnet;
- a tunneling barrier layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, chromium, an oxide, a nitride, and a combination thereof over the free layer;
- a first pinned layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, nickel, and a combination thereof over the tunneling barrier layer and overhanging the hard magnet;
- a nonmagnetic coupling layer containing ruthenium over the first pinned layer;
- a second pinned layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of cobalt, iron, nickel, and a combination thereof over the nonmagnetic coupling layer;
- a pinning layer containing a material selected from a group consisting of platinum, palladium, manganese, iron, nickel, iridium, an oxide, and a combination thereof over the second pinned layer;
- and
- a shield/second lead of a conductive material over the pinning layer.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.