Method and system for providing a read transducer having a reduced shield-to-shield spacing
AssigneeWestern Digital (Fremont), LLC
InventorsKuok San Ho, Savas Gider, Daniele Mauri, Ming Mao, Sining Mao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for providing a read magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) is described. The magnetic read transducer includes a first shield, a read sensor stack, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) tab, and a second shield. The read sensor stack includes a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer. The spacer layer is nonmagnetic and between the pinned layer and the free layer. A portion of the read sensor stack is at the ABS. The AFM tab is recessed from the ABS and adjacent to a portion of the pinned layer. The read sensor resides between the first shield and the second shield.
Claims20
A magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) comprising:
- a first shield;
- a read sensor stack including a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, a portion of the read sensor stack residing at the ABS, the free layer extending a first distance from the ABS, the pinned layer extending a second distance from the ABS, the first distance being less than the second distance;
- an antiferromagnetic (AFM) tab recessed from the ABS and adjacent to a portion of the pinned layer;
- and
- a second shield, the read sensor residing between the first shield and the second shield.
A disk drive comprising:
- at least one disk;
- at least one slider including at least one magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS), each of the at least one magnetic read transducer including a first shield, a read sensor stack, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) tab, and a second shield, the read sensor stack including a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, a portion of the read sensor stack residing at the ABS, the AFM tab being recessed from the ABS and adjoining a portion of the pinned layer, the read sensor residing between the first shield and the second shield, the free layer extending a first distance from the ABS, the pinned layer extending a second distance from the ABS, the first distance being less than the second distance.
A method for providing a magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) comprising:
- providing a first shield;
- providing a read sensor stack including a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, a portion of the read sensor stack residing at the ABS, the free layer extending a first distance from the ABS, the pinned layer extending a second distance from the ABS, the first distance being less than the second distance;
- providing an antiferromagnetic (AFM) tab recessed from the ABS and adjoining a portion of the pinned layer;
- and
- providing a second shield, the read sensor residing between the first shield and the second shield.
A magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) comprising:
- a first shield;
- a read sensor stack including a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer, the spacer layer being nonmagnetic and residing between the pinned layer and the free layer, a portion of the read sensor stack residing at the ABS, the pinned layer having a bottom surface and a top surface closer to the free layer than the bottom surface;
- an antiferromagnetic (AFM) tab recessed from the ABS and adjoining a portion of the top surface of the pinned layer such that the free layer is closer to the ABS than the AFM tab;
- and
- a second shield, the read sensor residing between the first shield and the second shield.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.