Thin-film magnetic head comprising bias layers having a large length in track width direction

A thin-film magnetic head, comprising:

• a lower insulating layer;
• a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor formed on said lower insulating layer and comprising:
• a first ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed with respect to external magnetic fields,
• a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and
• a second ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction changes with respect to the external magnetic fields;
• a pair of bias layers for exerting a bias magnetic field upon the MR sensor, said bias layers extending substantially symmetrically from two sides of said MR sensor in a direction of track width of a recording medium, each bias layer being connected with said MR sensor over a length which is substantially the same as said MR sensor in a direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface, and each bias layer having a shape which is contained within an imaginary rectangle which has its long sides along said air bearing surface in the direction of the track width of the recording medium and its short sides in the direction perpendicular to said air bearing surface and which contacts the short side of the imaginary rectangle which is opposite the short side which contacts said MR sensor;
• a pair of lead layers for supplying said sense current to said MR sensor each extending from said air bearing surface to cover at least a portion of each of said bias layers;
• and
• an insulating layer formed on said lower insulating layer and contacting said pair of bias layers only on a side of said bias layers which is opposite the air bearing surface, an upper surface of the insulating layer being flush with an upper surface of the bias layers,
• wherein said pair of lead layers covers at least a portion of said pair of bias layers and said insulating layer,
• wherein said bias layers each includes a stack structure having a soft magnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic, and
• wherein each of said bias layers has a shape which is contained within said imaginary rectangle in which a ratio of a length of said long sides to a length of said short sides is at least 5.

A method for fabricating a thin-film magnetic head, comprising:

• forming a lower insulating layer on a wafer;
• forming on said lower insulating layer at least one center layer which includes in a portion a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor comprising a first ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed with respect to external magnetic fields, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction changes with respect to the external magnetic fields;
• forming a pair of initial bias layers on both sides of said center layer, wherein each of the initial bias layers includes in a portion a bias layer for exerting a bias magnetic field upon said MR sensor;
• forming a pair of initial lead layers on both sides of said center layer, wherein each of said initial lead layers extends to cover at least a portion of each of said initial bias layers and contains a lead layer for supplying said sense current to said MR sensor;
• processing said wafer, said center layer, said initial bias layers, and said initial lead layers and forming said MR sensor by exposing an air bearing surface such that:
• said pair of bias layers are formed such that:
• said bias layers extend substantially symmetrically from two sides of said MR sensor in a direction of track width of a recording medium;
• said bias layers are each connected with said MR sensor over a length which is substantially equal to a length of said MR sensor in a direction perpendicular to said air bearing surface, and
• said bias layers each have a shape which is contained within an imaginary rectangle which has long sides along said air bearing surface in the direction of track width of said recording medium and short sides in the direction perpendicular to said air bearing surface, wherein each bias layer contacts the short side of said imaginary rectangle which is opposite the short side which contacts said MR sensor, and
• said pair of lead layers are formed such tat each of said lead layers extends from the air bearing surface to cover at least a portion of each of said bias layers;
• and
• forming an insulating layer on said lower insulating layer, said insulating layer contacting said pair of bias layers only on a side of said bias layers which is opposite the air bearing surface, and an upper surface of the insulating layer being flush with an upper surface of the bias layers,
• wherein said pair of lead layers covers at least a portion of said pair of bias layers and said insulating layer, and
• wherein said forming said bias layers includes forming said bias layers such that each of said bias layers have a shape which is contained within said imaginary rectangle in which a ratio of a length of said long sides to a length of said short sides is at least 5.

A method for fabricating a thin-film magnetic head, comprising:

• forming a lower insulating layer on a wafer;
• forming on said lower insulating layer at least one center layer which includes in a portion a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor comprising a first ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed with respect to external magnetic fields, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction changes with respect to the external magnetic fields;
• forming a pair of initial bias layers on both sides of said center layer, wherein each of the initial bias layers includes in a portion a bias layer for exerting a bias magnetic field upon said MR sensor;
• forming a pair of initial lead layers on both sides of said center layer, wherein each of said initial lead layers extends to cover at least a portion of each of said initial bias layers and contains a lead layer for supplying said sense current to said MR sensor;
• processing said wafer, said center layer, said initial bias layers, and said initial lead layers and forming said MR sensor by exposing an air bearing surface such that:
• said pair of bias layers are formed such that:
• said bias layers extend substantially symmetrically from two sides of said MR sensor in a direction of track width of a recording medium;
• said bias layers are each connected with said MR sensor over a length which is substantially equal to a length of said MR sensor in a direction perpendicular to said air bearing surface, and
• said bias layers each have a shape which is contained within an imaginary rectangle which has long sides along said air bearing surface in the direction of track width of said recording medium and short sides in the direction perpendicular to said air bearing surface, wherein each bias layer contacts the short side of said imaginary rectangle which is opposite the short side which contacts said MR sensor, and
• said pair of lead layers are formed such that each of said lead layers extends from the air bearing surface to cover at least a portion of each of said bias layers;
• and
• forming an insulating layer on said lower insulating layer, said insulating layer contacting said pair of bias layers only on a side of said bias layers which is opposite the air bearing surface, and an upper surface of the insulating layer being flush with an upper surface of the bias layers,
• wherein said pair of lead layers covers at least a portion of said pair of bias layers and said insulating layer,
• wherein said forming said initial bias layers includes forming a stacked structure which includes a soft magnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer, and
• wherein said forming said bias layers includes forming said bias layers such that said bias layers have a shape which is contained within said imaginary rectangle in which a ratio of a length of said long sides to a length of said short sides is at least 5.