Method and system for providing a magnetic element having a current confined layer
AssigneeWestern Digital (Fremont), LLC
InventorHai Jiang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for providing a current confined magnetic element is disclosed. The method and system include providing a pinned layer, providing a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and providing a free layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer resides between the pinned layer and the free layer. The method and system also include sputtering a current confinement layer. The current confinement layer includes an insulator and a conductor that are immiscible. The conductor forms a plurality of nano-dots in an insulating matrix. At least a portion of the plurality of nano-dots extends through the current confinement layer.
Claims14
A method for providing a current confined magnetic element comprising:
- providing a pinned layer;
- providing a nonmagnetic spacer layer;
- providing a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
- and
- sputtering a current confinement layer, the current confinement layer including an insulator and a conductor that are immiscible, the conductor forming a plurality of nano-dots in an insulating matrix, at least a portion of the plurality of nano-dots extending through the current confinement layer;
- and
- completing fabrication of the current confinement layer without performing an anneal.
A method for providing a current confined magnetic element comprising:
- providing a pinned layer;
- providing a nonmagnetic spacer layer;
- providing a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
- and
- sputtering a current confinement layer for the current confined magnetic element, the current confinement layer including an insulator and a conductor that are immiscible, the free layer residing between the current confinement layer and the pinned layer with no other current confinement layer between the free layer and the pinned layer, the conductor forming a plurality of nano-dots in an insulating matrix, at least a portion of the plurality of nano-dots extending through the current confinement layer;
- and
- completing fabrication of the current confinement layer without performing an anneal.
A method for providing a current confined magnetic element comprising:
- providing a pinned layer;
- providing a nonmagnetic spacer layer;
- providing a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
- and
- sputtering a current confinement layer, the current confinement layer including an insulator and a conductor that are immiscible, the conductor forming a plurality of nano-dots in an insulating matrix, at least a portion of the plurality of nano-dots extending through the current confinement layer, the conductor including Ni, and;
- completing fabrication of the current confinement layer without performing an anneal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.