Magnetoresistive head and magnetic storage apparatus

• US 7,859,797 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Yasuyuki, Hoshino, Katsumi, Hoshiya, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUIN, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US11/655,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 360/319
• US Class Current: 360/319
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3912 Arrangements in which the active read-out elements are transducing in association with active magnetic shields, e.g. magnetically coupled shields G11B5/3916 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a Current Perpendicular to the Plane—Giant Magnetoresistive (CPP-GMR) head exhibiting a high magnetoresistance (MR) ratio with a low area-resistance product. A lower shield is made up of a first shield layer/a crystalline reset layer/a second shield layer, and an amorphous material is used in at least a part of the crystalline reset layer, thereby controlling crystallinity of the second lower shield/the CPP-GMR head.

Claims

1. A magnetic head comprising:

a substrate;

a lower shield formed above said substrate;

a magnetoresistive film formed above said lower shield, said magnetoresistive film including;

pinned layers;

a non-magnetic layer; and

free layers; and

an upper shield formed above said magnetoresistive film, current flowing between said lower shield and said upper shield, wherein said lower shield has a stacked structure comprising a first lower shield formed on a side thereof, adjacent to said substrate, a crystalline reset layer, and a second lower shield formed on a side thereof, adjacent to said magnetoresistive film, said crystalline reset layer comprising an amorphous layer,

wherein said amorphous layer is composed of

an AlZr alloy, or

one element selected from the group consisting of Hf or Zr, or

an alloy containing the Hf or Zr as the main constituent thereof.

2. The magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein said magnetoresistive film comprises a confined current path layer made of a mixture composed of metal and an oxide thereof.

3. The magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein said amorphous layer is non-magnetic.

4. The magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein said amorphous layer is magnetic.

5. The magnetic head according claim 1, wherein said crystalline reset layer comprises a crystalline control layer formed above said amorphous layer.

6. The magnetic head according to claim 5, wherein said crystalline control layer is made up of an NiFeCr alloy film, or a stacked film of the NiFeCr alloy film/a film of one element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir, and Rh, or a film of an alloy containing the one element as the main constituent thereof.

7. The magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein said lower shield and said upper shield each double as an electrode.

8. A method of manufacturing a magnetic head comprising the steps of:

forming a crystalline reset layer above a substrate;

forming a bottom shield above said crystalline reset layer;

forming a magnetoresistive film above said bottom shield; and

forming an upper shield above said magnetoresistive film,

wherein during said forming of said crystalline reset layer to said forming of said magnetoresistive film the process is maintained in vacuum condition.

14. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head according to claim 8, wherein said forming of said crystalline reset layer comprises steps of forming an amorphous layer and forming a crystalline control layer above said amorphous layer.

9. A method of manufacturing a magnetic head comprising the steps of:

forming a first shield as a part of a lower shield on a substrate;

planarizing a surface of said first shield;

forming a crystalline reset layer above the top of said first shield;

forming a second shield above the top of said crystalline reset layer;

forming a magnetoresistive film above said second shield; and

forming an upper shield above said magnetoresistive film,

wherein a manufacturing process is executed in a vacuum chamber while maintaining a high degree of vacuum from the step of forming said crystalline reset layer up to the step of forming said magnetoresistive film.

10. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head according to claim 9, wherein at least a part of said crystalline reset layer is made up of an amorphous layer, and said amorphous layer is composed of an AlZr alloy, one element selected from the group consisting of Hf, Zr, and Ti, an alloy containing the one element as the main constituent thereof, or a magnetic alloy containing Co as the main constituent thereof.

11. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head according to claim 9, wherein the step of forming said magnetoresistive film includes the sub-step of forming a confined current path layer made of a mixture composed of metal and an oxide thereof.

12. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head according to claim 9, wherein said crystalline reset layer comprises an amorphous layer and a crystalline control layer, and there is provided the step of forming said crystalline control layer after the step of forming said amorphous layer.

13. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head according to claim 12, wherein said crystalline control layer is made up of an NiFeCr alloy film, or a stacked film of the NiFeCr alloy film/a film of one element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir, and Rh, or a film of an alloy containing the one element as the main constituent thereof.

15. A magnetic head comprising:

a substrate;

a crystalline reset layer formed above said substrate;

a bottom shield formed above said crystalline reset layer;

a magnetoresistive film formed above said bottom shield, said magnetoresistive film includes a pinned layer, a non-magnetic layer, and free layer; and

an upper shield formed above said magnetoresistive film, current flowing between said bottom shield and said upper shield,

wherein said magnetoresistive film and said bottom shield has a direct contact,

wherein said crystalline reset layer includes an amorphous layer and a crystalline control layer formed above said amorphous layer, and controls crystalline orientation of said bottom layer and said magnetoresistive film,

wherein said amorphous layer is composed of

an AlZr alloy, or

one element selected from the group consisting of Hf or Zr, or

an alloy containing the Hf or Zr as the main constituent thereof.

16. The magnetic head according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of said bottom shield is 100 nm or less, and said bottom shield is made of NiFe.

17. The magnetic head according to claim 15, wherein said crystalline control layer is made of an NiFeCr alloy film, or a stacked film of the NiFeCr alloy film/ a film of one element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Ru, Ir, and Rh, or a film of an alloy containing the one element as the main constituent thereof.

18. The magnetic head according to claim 15, wherein said crystalline control layer is made of an NiFeCr alloy film, and concentration of Cr is 30˜

50 at. %.