US 7,256,971 B2 · Process and structure to fabricate CPP spin valve heads for ultra-high recording density

Abstract

A CPP-GMR spin value sensor structure with an improved MR ratio and increased resistance is disclosed. All layers except certain pinned layers, copper spacers, and a Ta capping layer are oxygen doped by adding a partial O2 pressure to the Ar sputtering gas during deposition. Oxygen doped CoFe free and pinned layers are made slightly thicker to offset a small decrease in magnetic moment caused by the oxygen dopant. Incorporating oxygen in the MnPt AFM layer enhances the exchange bias strength. An insertion layer such as a nano-oxide layer is included in one or more of the free, pinned, and spacer layers to increase interfacial scattering. The thickness of all layers except the copper spacer may be increased to enhance bulk scattering. A CPP-GMR single or dual spin valve of the present invention has up to a threefold increase in resistance and a 2 to 3% increase in MR ratio.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A method for fabricating a CPP spin valve structure, comprising:

(a) providing a substrate and depositing an oxygen doped seed layer thereon;
(b) depositing an oxygen doped AFM layer on said oxygen doped seed layer;
(c) depositing a synthetic anti-parallel (SyAP) pinned layer on said oxygen doped AFM layer wherein said SyAP pinned layer is a composite layer formed by sequentially depositing a non-oxygen doped pinned layer, a coupling layer, and an oxygen doped pinned layer;
(d) depositing a copper spacer on the SyAP pinned layer;
(e) depositing an oxygen doped free layer above the copper spacer;
and
(f) depositing a copper layer on the oxygen doped free layer and a capping layer on the copper layer.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and structure to fabricate CPP spin valve heads for ultra-high recording density

Life of this patent

Process and structure to fabricate CPP spin valve heads for ultra-high recording density

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33