Lead overlay bottom spin valve with improved side reading
AssigneeHeadway Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMoris M. Dovek, Tai Min
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In bottom spin valves of the lead overlay type the longitudinal bias field that stabilizes the device tends to fall off well before the gap is reached. This problem has been overcome by inserting an additional antiferromagnetic layer between the hard bias plugs and the overlaid leads. This additional antiferromagnetic layer and the lead layer are etched in the same operation to define the read gap, eliminating the possibility of misalignment between them. The extra antiferromagnetic layer is also longitudinally biased so there is no falloff in bias strength before the edge of the gap is reached. A process for manufacturing the device is also described.
Claims11
A magnetic read head, comprising:
- a bottom spin valve, whose topmost layer is a first antiferromagnetic layer, having two opposing sides that slope downwards away from a central horizontal area;
- on said sloping sides, two opposing plugs of magnetic hard bias material separated by a first gap;
- in said central area, on said first antiferromagnetic layer, a capping layer;
- on said hard bias plugs and said capping layer, a laminate of a conductive lead layer on a second antiferromagnetic layer;
- and
- a second gap, in said laminate, centrally located over said central area, said second gap being narrower than said first gap.
A magnetic read head, comprising:
- a bottom spin valve, whose topmost layer is a first antiferromagnetic layer, having two opposing sides that slope downwards away from a central horizontal area;
- on said sloping sides, two opposing plugs of magnetic hard bias material separated by a first gap;
- in said central area, on said first antiferromagnetic layer, a capping layer;
- on said hard bias plugs, a layer of ferromagnetic material;
- on said layer of ferromagnetic material and said capping layer, a laminate of a conductive lead layer on a second antiferromagnetic layer;
- and
- a second gap, in said laminate, centrally located over said central area, said second gap being narrower than said first gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.