MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD AND MAGNETIC RECORDING APPARATUS

• US 20160027455A1
• Filed: 07/10/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: KUDO, Kiwamu, SUTO, Hirofumi, NAGASAWA, Tazumi, MIZUSHIMA, Koichi, SATO, Rie
• Granted Patent: US 9,437,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0002 Special dispositions or recording techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0021 Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0024 Microwave assisted recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/3996 large or giant magnetoresistive effects [GMR], e.g. as generated in spin-valve [SV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00 Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor G11B11/00 and G11B13/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/235 Selection of material for gap filler G11B5/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3146 magnetic layers

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole and a spin torque oscillator. The spin torque oscillator includes a first perpendicular free layer, a second perpendicular free layer, and a first spacer layer, each of the first perpendicular free layer and the second perpendicular free layer including a magnetic anisotropy axis in a direction perpendicular to a film plane of the spin torque oscillator. An effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy magnetic field of the first perpendicular free layer is smaller than an effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy magnetic field of the second perpendicular free layer, and a current is applied from the first perpendicular free layer side to the second perpendicular free layer side.

Claims

1. A magnetic recording head comprising:

a main magnetic pole which generates a recording magnetic field; and

a spin torque oscillator which generates a high frequency magnetic field, the spin torque oscillator comprising a pair of electrode layers and a multilayer film provided between the pair of electrode layers, the multilayer film comprising a first perpendicular free layer in which magnetization is rotatable, a second perpendicular free layer in which magnetization is rotatable, and a first spacer layer provided between the first perpendicular free layer and the second perpendicular free layer, each of the first perpendicular free layer and the second perpendicular free layer including a magnetic anisotropy axis in a direction perpendicular to a film plane of the spin torque oscillator, wherein an effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy magnetic field of the first perpendicular free layer is smaller than an effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy magnetic field of the second perpendicular free layer, and a current is applied from the first perpendicular free layer side to the second perpendicular free layer side through the pair of electrode layers.

2. The magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer film further comprises a third perpendicular free layer which includes a magnetic anisotropy axis in the direction and in which magnetization is rotatable, and a second spacer layer provided between the second perpendicular free layer and the third perpendicular free layer, the second perpendicular free layer being provided between the first perpendicular free layer and the third perpendicular free layer, the effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy magnetic field of the second perpendicular free layer is smaller than an effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy magnetic field of the third perpendicular free layer, and a current is applied from the first perpendicular free layer side to the third perpendicular free layer side through the pair of electrode layers.

3. The magnetic recording head according to claim 2, wherein

the third perpendicular free layer comprises at least one of a CoCr system material, a Co/Pd multilayer film, a Co/Ni multilayer film, a Co/Pt multilayer film, an L10 alloy, Co₃Pt, SmCo, a CoFe/MgO interface, a CoFeB/MgO interface, and a FeB/MgO interface.

4. The magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein

the first perpendicular free layer comprises at least one of a CoCr system material, a Co/Pd multilayer film, a Co/Ni multilayer film, a Co/Pt multilayer film, an L10 alloy, Co₃Pt, SmCo, a CoFe/MgO interface, a CoFeB/MgO interface, and a FeB/MgO interface.

5. The magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein

the second perpendicular free layer comprises at least one of a CoCr system material, a Co/Pd multilayer film, a Co/Ni multilayer film, a Co/Pt multilayer film, an L10 alloy, Co₃Pt, SmCo, a CoFe/MgO interface, a CoFeB/MgO interface, and a FeB/MgO interface.

6. A magnetic recording apparatus comprising:

a magnetic recording medium;

a magnetic head including a magnetic reproducing head, and the magnetic recording head according to claim 1;

a driving mechanism which moves the magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium relative to each other; and

a signal processor which carries out writing of a signal to the magnetic recording medium by using the magnetic recording head, and reading of a signal from the magnetic recording medium by using the magnetic reproducing head.

7. The magnetic recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the magnetic reproducing head comprises another spin torque oscillator including at least one free layer in which magnetization is rotatable, and

the signal processor reproduces the magnetic information of the magnetic recording medium by detecting a change in amplitude or phase of the high frequency output of the spin torque oscillator of the magnetic reproducing head.

8. The magnetic recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the magnetic recording medium is a three-dimensional recording medium including a plurality of recording layers.