Magnetoresistive device with a hard bias capping layer
AssigneeWestern Digital (Fremont), LLC
InventorsLiubo Hong, Honglin Zhu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetoresistive device is provided. The device includes at least one magnetoresistive element having at least one side, at least one hard bias layer in proximity to the at least one side of the at least one magnetic element, and a hard bias capping structure on the at least one hard bias layer. The hard bias capping structure includes a protective layer covering at least a first portion of the at least one hard bias layer and a planarization stop layer covering a second portion of the at least one hard bias layer. A portion of the protective layer resides between the planarization stop layer and the at least one hard bias layer.
Claims11
A magnetoresistive device comprising;
- at least one magnetoresistive element having at least one side;
- at least one hard bias layer in proximity to the at least one side of the at least one magnetic element;
- and
- a hard bias capping structure on the at least one hard bias layer, the hard bias capping structure including a protective layer covering at least a first portion of the at least one hard bias layer, a planarization stop layer covering a second portion of the at least one hard bias layer, a portion of the protective layer residing between the planarization stop layer and the at least one hard bias layer;
- wherein the protective layer includes at least one of Ru, Ta, Cr, and NiCr.
A magnetoresistive device comprising;
- at least one magnetoresistive element having at least one side;
- at least one hard bias layer in proximity to the at least one side of the at least one magnetic element;
- and
- a hard bias capping structure on the at least one hard bias layer, the hard bias capping structure including a protective layer covering at least a first portion of the at least one hard bias layer, a planarization stop layer covering a second portion of the at least one hard bias layer, a portion of the protective layer residing between the planarization stop layer and the at least one hard bias layer;
- wherein the hard bias capping structure further comprises a second protective layer,
- and wherein the planarization stop layer resides between the first protective layer and the second protective layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.