Magnetic sensor having a hard bias seed structure

A magnetic sensor, comprising:

• a sensor stack having first and second sides;
• first and second under-layers each adjacent to a side of the sensor stack, each of the first and second under-layers comprising Cu—O;
• and
• first and second hard magnetic bias layers each formed over one of the first and second under-layers;
• wherein the under-layer has a top surface with a within the plane axis ratio of 1.6.

A magnetic sensor, comprising:

• a bottom magnetic shield;
• a sensor stack formed over the bottom magnetic shield and having first and second sides;
• first and second insulation layers, each formed over a side of the sensor stack and over the bottom magnetic shield;
• first and second under-layers each formed over at least a portion of one of the first and second insulation layers, each of the under-layers comprising Cu—O;
• and
• first and second hard magnetic bias layers each formed over one of the first and second under-layers;
• wherein each of the first and second under-layers has a top surface that is close to a body centered cubic structure.

A magnetic sensor, comprising:

• a bottom magnetic shield;
• a sensor stack formed over the bottom magnetic shield and having first and second sides;
• first and second insulation layers, each formed over a side of the sensor stack and over the bottom magnetic shield;
• first and second under-layers each formed over at least a portion of one of the first and second insulation layers, each of the under-layers comprising Cu—O;
• and
• first and second hard magnetic bias layers each formed over one of the first and second under-layers;
• wherein the under-layer has a top surface with a within the plane axis ratio of 1.6.

A magnetic disk drive, comprising:

• a housing;
• a magnetic media held within the housing;
• an actuator pivotally mounted within the housing;
• a slider connected with the actuator for movement adjacent to the magnetic media;
• and
• a magnetic sensor formed on the slider, the magnetic sensor further comprising:
• a sensor stack having first and second sides;
• first and second under-layers each adjacent to a side of the sensor stack, each of the first and second under-layers comprising Cu—O;
• and
• first and second hard magnetic bias layers each formed over one of the first and second under-layers;
• wherein each of the first and second under-layers has a top surface that is close to a body centered cubic structure.