Magnetoresistive sensor with SAF structure having amorphous alloy layer
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsEric W. Singleton, Liwen Tan, Jae-Young Yi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor including a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure that is magnetically coupled to a side shield element. The SAF structure includes at least one magnetic amorphous layer that is an alloy of a ferromagnetic material and a refractory material. The amorphous magnetic layer may be in contact with a non-magnetic layer and antiferromagnetically coupled to a layer in contact with an opposite surface of the non-magnetic layer.
Claims17
A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having a cross-track direction and a down-track direction, the sensor comprising:
- a first synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure having an RKKY spacer coupling layer and an amorphous alloy layer that includes a ferromagnetic material and a refractory material;
- a first antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer;
- a second SAF structure having an RKKY spacer coupling layer and an amorphous alloy layer that includes a ferromagnetic material and a refractory material;
- a second AFM layer;
- and
- a sensor stack between and in contact with a magnetic layer of the first SAF structure and with a magnetic layer of the second SAF structure, wherein each magnetic layer of the first and second SAF structures has a width greater than a width of each respective sensor stack contact surface, the first AFM layer, the first SAF structure, the sensor stack, the second SAF structure and the second AFM layer aligned, in order, along the down-track direction.
An MR sensor having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the MR sensor comprising:
- a first antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer;
- a sensor stack;
- a first synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure between the first AFM layer and the sensor stack, the first SAF structure including, in order, a magnetic layer adjacent to and in contact with the sensor stack, an RKKY coupling spacer layer, and a first amorphous alloy layer including a ferromagnetic material and a refractory material;
- a second AFM layer;
- and
- a second synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure between the sensor stack and the second AFM layer, the second SAF structure including, in order, a magnetic layer adjacent to and in contact with the sensor stack, an RKKY coupling spacer layer, and a first amorphous alloy layer, the first amorphous alloy layer of the second SAF structure including a ferromagnetic material and a refractory material,
- wherein each magnetic layer of the first and second SAF structures has a width greater than a width of each respective sensor stack contact surface,
- wherein the first AFM layer and the first SAF structure are closer to the trailing edge than the second AFM layer and the second SAF structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.