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US 8,315,019 B1Granted
Method and system for providing an improved magnetoresistive structure utilizing an oxidation buffer layer
AssigneeWestern Digital (Fremont), LLC
InventorsMing Mao, Wei Zhang, Mahendra Pakala
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for providing a magnetic transducer is described. The method and system include providing a magnetoresistive structure having a plurality of sides. At least one oxidation buffer layer covers at least the plurality of sides. The method and system also include providing at least one oxide layer after the oxidation buffer layer is provided. The oxide layer(s) reside between the sides and the oxidation buffer layer(s).
Claims11
A magnetic transducer comprising:
- a magnetoresistive structure having a plurality of sides;
- at least one oxidation buffer layer covering at least the plurality of sides, the at least one oxidation buffer layer allowing oxidation of the plurality of sides at a reduced oxidation rate less than an oxidation rate of the plurality of sides in an absence of the at least one oxidation buffer layer and greater than zero;
- at least one oxide layer, the at least one oxide layer residing between the plurality of sides and the at least one oxidation buffer layer, the at least one oxide layer including an oxide of the plurality of sides of the magnetoresistive structure;
- and
- a plurality of hard bias structures adjacent to the at least one oxide layer, the at least one oxide layer residing between the plurality of hard bias structures and the plurality of sides, the at least one oxidation buffer layer being between the at least one oxide layer and the plurality of hard bias structures.
2 more elements
A magnetic transducer comprising:
- a magnetoresistive structure having a top, a bottom, and a plurality of sides, the magnetoresistive structure including a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer, the nonmagnetic spacer layer residing between the pinned layer and the free layer;
- at least one oxidation buffer layer covering at least the plurality of sides, the at least one oxidation buffer layer having a thickness of at least two and not more than seven monolayers, the at least one oxidation buffer layer allowing oxidation of the plurality of sides at a reduced oxidation rate less than an oxidation rate of the plurality of sides in an absence of the at least one oxidation buffer layer and greater than zero;
- at least one oxide layer, the at least one oxide layer residing between the plurality of sides and the at least one oxidation buffer layer, the at least one oxide layer including an oxide of the plurality of sides of the magnetoresistive structure;
- a plurality of hard bias structures adjacent to the at least one oxide layer, the at least one oxide layer residing between the plurality of hard bias structures and the plurality of sides, the at least one oxidation buffer layer being between the at least one oxide layer and the plurality of hard bias structures;
- a first contact electrically connected with the bottom of the magnetoresistive structure;
- and
- a second contact electrically connected with the top of the magnetoresistive structure;
- wherein the magnetic transducer is configured to drive current between the first contact and the second contact in a current-perpendicular to plane direction.
5 more elements
A disk drive comprising:
- a head including a slider and a magnetic transducer, the magnetic transducer including a magnetoresistive structure having a plurality of sides, at least one oxidation buffer layer covering at least the plurality of sides, at least one oxide layer and a plurality of hard bias structures adjacent to the at least one oxide layer, the at least one oxidation buffer layer allowing oxidation of the plurality sides at a reduced oxidation rate less than an oxidation rate of the plurality of sides in an absence of the at least one oxidation buffer layer and greater than zero, the at least one oxide layer residing between the plurality of hard bias structures and the plurality of sides, the at least one oxide layer residing between the plurality of sides and the at least one oxidation buffer layer, the at least one oxide layer including an oxide of the plurality of sides of the magnetoresistive structure, the at least one oxidation buffer layer being between the at least one oxide layer and the plurality of hard bias structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.