Magnetic head with laminated side shields
AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorsMasahiko Hatatani, Chiseki Haginoya, Kenichi Meguro, Kazuhiro Nakamoto
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic recording and read head which reduces the spread read width in a narrow track having a width of 100 nm or less and shows stable read operation. In one embodiment, a side magnetic shield has a multi-layered structure including non-magnetic separate layers and soft magnetic layers, and the soft magnetic layers are magnetized in opposite directions to reduce a magnetic field induced by the side magnetic shield.
Claims19
A magnetic head comprising:
- an upper magnetic shield;
- a lower magnetic shield;
- and
- a magnetoresistive film formed between the upper magnetic shield and the lower magnetic shield;
- wherein the magnetoresistive film has a domain control layer including an antiferromagnetic layer, a longitudinal biasing layer and a non magnetic separation layer, a first ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization direction is changed by an external magnetic field, a non-magnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization direction is fixed;
- and
- wherein a pair of side magnetic shields, each of which is a multi-layered film including a plurality of soft magnetic layers and a plurality of separate layers arranged alternately, are formed on both sides in a track width direction of the magnetoresistive film and converge along a line formed by an upper corner of the magnetoresistive film and the upper magnetic shield.
A magnetic recording and playback drive comprising a magnetic recording medium having a magnetic recording layer for recording information magnetically, a drive unit configured to drive the magnetic recording medium, a magnetic head including a magnetic recording head and a magnetic read head, an actuator configured to drive the magnetic head relative to the magnetic recording medium, and a signal processing system configured to process a signal from the magnetic head,
- wherein the magnetic read head comprises an upper magnetic shield, a lower magnetic shield, and a magnetoresistive film formed between the upper magnetic shield and the lower magnetic shield;
- wherein the magnetoresistive film has a domain control layer including an antiferromagnetic layer, a longitudinal biasing layer and a non magnetic separation layer, a first ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization direction is changed by an external magnetic field, a non-magnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization direction is fixed, and
- wherein a pair of side magnetic shields each of which is a multi-layered film including a plurality of soft magnetic layers and a plurality of separate layers arranged alternately, are formed on both sides in a track width direction of the magnetoresistive film and converge along a line formed by an upper corner of the magnetoresistive film and the upper magnetic shield.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.