Perpendicular magnetic recording head with improved write field gradient

• US 6,813,115 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Hannay, Jonathan D., Van der Heijden, Petrus A., Batra, Sharat, Parker, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Letscher, George J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magee, Christopher R
• Application Number:
  US10/235,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 360/121, 360/122, 360/123, 360/124, 360/125, 360/126, 360/127, 360/120, 296/033, 296/031.3, 296/031.4
• US Class Current: 360/125.12
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0029 using magnetisation components of the recording layer disposed mainly perpendicularly to the record carrier surface
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/1278 specially adapted for magnetisations perpendicular to the surface of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/187 Structure or manufacture of the surface of the head in physical contact with, or immediately adjacent to the recording medium; Pole pieces; Gap features G11B5/265, G11B5/29 , G11B5/31 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3153 including at least one magnetic thin film coupled by interfacing to the basic magnetic thin film structure

Abstract

A single pole magnetic recording head is provided according to the present invention for perpendicular magnetic recording on a recording medium. The magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole and a coil magnetically coupled to the main pole for magnetizing the main pole in a first magnetization direction. The magnetic recording head further includes a layer of ferromagnetic material anti-ferromagnetically coupled to the main pole such that magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is in a second magnetization direction substantially anti-parallel to the first magnetization direction of the main pole.

Claims

1. A perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising:

a magnetic main pole;

a coil magnetically coupled to the main pole for magnetizing the main pole in a first magnetization direction; and

a layer of ferromagnetic material anti-ferromagnetically coupled to the main pole such that magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is in a second magnetization direction substantially anti-parallel to the first magnetization direction of the main pole,

wherein the ferromagnetic layer has a saturation magnetic flux density equal to or less than a saturation magnetic flux density of the main pole.

2. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic layer is provided at a trailing edge of the main pole.

3. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic layer is provided only at a pole tip region of the main pole.

4. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 1, further comprising an interlayer between the main pole and the ferromagnetic layer anti-ferromagnetically coupling the ferromagnetic layer to the main pole.

5. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 4, wherein the interlayer is selected from the group of materials consisting of Ru, Cu, Rh, Mn, Cr, Ag and Au.

6. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 4, wherein the interlayer and the ferromagnetic layer are provided at a trailing edge of the main pole.

7. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 4, wherein the interlayer and the ferromagnetic layer are provided only at a pole tip region of the main pole.

8. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the main pole and the ferromagnetic layer each comprise at least one material selected from the group of soft magnetic materials including at least one of Co, Fe and Ni.

9. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 1, wherein the main pole has a first thickness and the ferromagnetic layer has a second thickness, with the first thickness greater than the second thickness.

12. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic return pole forming a return path for a magnetic flux.

10. A perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising:

a magnetic main pole;

a coil magnetically coupled to the main pole for magnetizing the main pole in a first magnetization direction; and

a layer of ferromagnetic material anti-ferromagnetically coupled to the main pole such that magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is in a second magnetization direction substantially anti-parallel to the first magnetization direction of the main pole,

wherein the main pole comprises a hybrid-type main pole having multiple layers of ferromagnetic material separated by non-ferromagnetic layers.

18. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 10, wherein the ferromagnetic layer is provided at a trailing edge of the main pole.

11. A perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising:

a magnetic main pole;

a coil magnetically coupled to the main pole for magnetizing the main pole in a first magnetization direction; and

a layer of ferromagnetic material anti-ferromagnetically coupled to the main pole such that magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is in a second magnetization direction substantially anti-parallel to the first magnetization direction of the main pole,

wherein the ferromagnetic layer comprises a hybrid-type ferromagnetic layer having multiple layers of ferromagnetic material separated by non-ferromagnetic layers.

19. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 11, wherein the ferromagnetic layer is provided at a trailing edge of the main pole.

20. The perpendicular magnetic recording head of claim 11, wherein the main pole and the ferromagnetic layer each comprise at least one material selected from the group of soft magnetic materials including at least one of Co, Fe and Ni.

13. A device comprising:

a magnetic main pole magnetizable in a first magnetization direction by a coil magnetically coupled thereto; and

a layer of ferromagnetic material anti-ferromagnetically coupled to the main pole such that magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is in a second magnetization direction substantially anti-parallel to the first magnetization direction of the main pole,

wherein the ferromagnetic layer has a saturation magnetic flux density equal to or less than a saturation magnetic flux density of the main pole.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising an interlayer between the main pole and the ferromagnetic layer anti-ferromagnetically coupling the ferromagnetic layer to the main pole.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the interlayer is selected from the group of materials consisting of Ru, Cu, Rh, Mn, Cr, Ag and Au.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the interlayer and the ferromagnetic layer are provided at a trailing edge of the main pole.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the main pole and the ferromagnetic layer each comprise at least one material selected from the group of soft magnetic materials including at least one of Co, Fe and Ni.