Magnetoresistive sensor with reduced operating temperature
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsSining Mao, William P. Vavra, Eric S. Linville
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having reduced operating temperature is disclosed. The MR sensor, which includes an MR stack having a magnetoresistive layer, is configured to operate in a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) mode wherein a sense current flows substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal plane of the magnetoresistive layer. The MR sensor further includes a thermal sink layer positioned with respect to the MR stack to reduce an operating temperature of the magnetoresistive sensor. The thermal sink layer is made of a material having high thermal conductivity, and is preferably separated from the MR stack by a metallic cap or seed layer.
Claims33
A magnetoresistive sensor comprising:
- a magnetoresistive (MR) stack having a nonmagnetic layer, the MR stack configured to operate in a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) mode wherein a sense current flows substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal plane of the nonmagnetic layer;
- first and second nonmagnetic metal layers respectively positioned on a top surface and a bottom surface of the MR stack;
- first and second electrically conductive leads to provide the sense current to the MR stack;
- and
- heat dissipating means, positioned (a) between the first and second electrically conductive leads and (b) at least one of(1) outside of the MR stack and (2) within the MR stack adjacent the nonmagnetic metal layers, to reduce an operating temperature of the magnetoresistive sensor, the heat dissipating means made of a material having a high thermal conductivity.
A magnetoresistive sensor having a reduced operating temperature comprising:
- a magnetoresistive (MR) stack having a nonmagnetic layer, the MR stack configured to operate in a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) mode wherein a sense current flows substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal plane of the nonmagnetic layer;
- first and second nonmagnetic metal layers respectively positioned on a top surface and a bottom surface of the MR stack;
- first and second electrically conductive leads to provide the sense current to the MR stack;
- and
- first and second thermal sink layers respectively positioned on the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers and between the first and second electrically conductive leads, the first and second thermal sink layers made of a material having high thermal conductivity.
A current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having a reduced operating temperature comprising:
- a bottom electrically conductive lead;
- a first thermal sink layer made of a material having a high thermal conductivity positioned on the bottom electrically conductive lead;
- a first nonmagnetic metal layer positioned on the first thermal sink layer;
- a magnetoresistive (MR) stack positioned on the first nonmagnetic metal layer, the MR stack including a magnetoresistive layer and configured to operate in a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) mode wherein a sense current flows substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal plane of the magnetoresistive layer;
- a second nonmagnetic metal layer positioned on MR stack;
- a second thermal sink layer made of a material having a high thermal conductivity positioned on the second nonmagnetic metal layer;
- and
- a top electrically conductive lead positioned on the MR stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.