A tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) read sensor having a tabbed AFM layer and an extended pinned layer and methods for making the same are provided. The TMR read sensor has an AFM layer recessed from the air bearing surface, providing a reduced shield-to-shield distance.

Tunnel magnetoresistance read head with narrow shield-to-shield spacing

A method for forming a hard bias structure in a magnetoresistive sensor is disclosed. A magnetoresistive sensor having a soft magnetic bias layer, spacer layer, and a magnetoresistive layer, is formed over a substrate having a gap layer. A mask is formed over a portion of the magnetoresistive sensor structure to define a central region. The masked structure is ion milled to remove portions not shielded by the mask, to form the central region with sloped sides, and to expose a region of the gap layer laterally adjacent the sloped sides. A first underlayer is deposited onto at least the sloped sides at a high deposition angle. A second underlayer is deposited to at least partially overlap the first underlayer, and at a first lower deposition angle. A hard bias layer is deposited over at least a portion of the second underlayer, and at a second lower deposition angle.

Method for forming a hard bias structure in a magnetoresistive sensor

This invention describes a novel tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) deposition process that can enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a TMR reader. A method of manufacturing a tunnel magnetoresistive sensor includes providing a substrate; forming a first portion of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure on the substrate; forming a second portion of the MTJ structure on the substrate; forming a tunnel barrier layer of the MTJ structure between the first portion and the second portion; heating the first portion of the MTJ structure before forming the tunnel barrier layer or after forming at least a portion of the tunnel barrier layer; and cooling the tunnel barrier layer.

Methods for manufacturing a magnetoresistive structure utilizing heating and cooling

A method and system for providing a magnetic recording transducer having a pole are disclosed. The pole has side(s), a bottom, and a top wider than the bottom. The method and system include providing at least one side gap layer that covers the side(s) and the top of the pole. At least one sacrificial layer is provided on the side gap layer(s). The sacrificial layer(s) are wet etchable and cover the side gap layer(s). The magnetic recording transducer is planarized after the sacrificial layer(s) are provided. Thus, a portion of the side gap and sacrificial layer(s) is removed. A remaining portion of the sacrificial layer(s) is thus left. The method and system also include wet etching the sacrificial layer(s) to remove the remaining portion of the sacrificial layer(s). A wrap around shield is provided after the remaining portion of the sacrificial layer(s) is removed.

Method and system for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording head

A method fabricates a side shield for a magnetic transducer having a nonmagnetic layer and an ABS location corresponding to an ABS. The nonmagnetic layer has a pole trench therein. The pole trench has a shape and location corresponding to the pole. A wet etchable layer is deposited. Part of the wet etchable layer resides in the pole trench. A pole is formed. The pole has a bottom and a top wider than the bottom in the pole tip region. Part of the pole in the pole tip region is in the pole trench on at least part of the wet etchable layer. At least parts of the wet etchable layer and the nonmagnetic layer are removed, forming an air bridge. The air bridge is between part of the pole at the ABS location and an underlying layer. Side shield layer(s) that substantially fill the air bridge are deposited.

Method for providing a side shield for a magnetic recording transducer using an air bridge

The apparatus of the present invention is embodied in a magnetic field sensor having a magnetoresistive element, a magnetic bias layer for biasing the magnetoresistive element with a magnetic field, and an electrical insulator positioned between the magnetic bias layer and the magnetoresistive element. The insulator prevents the flow of electrical current between the magnetoresistive element and the magnetic bias layer and at least a portion of the insulator allows passage of the magnetic field from the magnetic bias layer to the magnetoresistive element such that the magnetoresistive element is biased. The method of the present invention is embodied in a method for fabricating a magnetic field sensor having the steps of forming a magnetoresistive element, forming a lower insulator with a main section and an end section over at least a portion of the magnetoresistive element, forming a magnetic bias layer over the main section of the lower insulator, and forming an upper insulator over the magnetic bias layer and over the end section of the lower insulator, such that the magnetic bias layer is electrically insulated from the magnetoresistive element.

Ningja Zhu

Papers

Magnetoresistive sensor having hard biased current perpendicular to the plane sensor