Current perpendicular to plane (CPP) magnetic read head

• US 8,064,159 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Koji, Nishioka, Koichi, Mitsuoka, Katsuya, Hoshino, Katsumi, Sato, Yo
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy
• Application Number:
  US12/642,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20100157465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 360/110
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/098 comprising tunnel junctions, e.g. tunnel magnetoresistance sensors
• 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 5/3906 Details related to the use of magnetic thin film layers or to their effects
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3929 Disposition of magnetic thin films not used for directly coupling magnetic flux from the track to the MR film or for shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/16 containing cobalt H01F10/126 , H01F10/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/1936 Half-metallic, e.g. epitaxial CrO2 or NiMnSb films
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3272 by use of anti-parallel coupled [APC] ferromagnetic layers, e.g. artificial ferrimagnets [AFI], artificial [AAF] or synthetic [SAF] anti-ferromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3281 only by use of asymmetry of the magnetic film pair itself, i.e. so-called pseudospin valve [PSV] structure, e.g. NiFe/Cu/Co
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3295 Spin-exchange coupled multilayers wherein the magnetic pinned or free layers are laminated without anti-parallel coupling within the pinned and free layers

Abstract

One general embodiment of the present invention is a magnetic read head including a magnetoresistive sensor where sense current flows in a stacking direction of the magnetoresistive sensor, i.e., perpendicular to the plane of the layers of the head. The magnetoresistive sensor comprises a free layer having a magnetization direction that is affected by external magnetic fields and includes a Heusler alloy layer and a Co-based amorphous metal layer, a fixed layer which is stacked with the free layer and has a fixed magnetization direction, and a non-magnetic intermediate layer between the free layer and the fixed layer.

Claims

1. A magnetic read head including a

magnetoresistive sensor where sense current flows in a stacking direction of the

magnetoresistive sensor, the magnetoresistive sensor comprising:

a free layer having a magnetization direction that is affected by external magnetic fields and including a Heusler alloy layer and a Co-based amorphous metal layer;

a fixed layer which is stacked with the free layer and has a fixed magnetization direction; and

a non-magnetic intermediate layer between the free layer and the fixed layer,

wherein the free layer further includes a metal crystal soft magnetic layer, and the Co-based amorphous metal layer is provided between the soft magnetic layer and the Heusler alloy layer,

wherein the order of magnitude of the thickness of the Co-based amorphous metal layer is no less than the order of magnitude of thickness of the Heusler alloy layer.

2. The magnetic read head according to claim 1, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer includes at least one element selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, W and B.

3. The magnetic read head according to claim 1, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer is made of Co—

Fe—

X, where X is one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, W and B.

4. The magnetic read head according to claim 1, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer is made of Co—

X, where X is one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, W and B.

5. The magnetic read head according to claim 1, wherein the fixed layer includes a Heusler alloy layer.

6. A system, comprising:

a magnetic recording medium;

at least one magnetic head as recited in claim 1;

a drive mechanism for passing the magnetic recording medium over the magnetic head; and

a controller coupled to the magnetic head for controlling operation of the magnetic head.

7. A magnetic read head including a magnetoresistive sensor where sense current flows in a stacking direction of the magnetoresistive sensor, the magnetoresistive sensor comprising:

a free layer having a magnetization direction that is affected by external magnetic fields and including a Heusler alloy layer and a Co-based amorphous metal layer;

a fixed layer which is stacked with the free layer and has a fixed magnetization direction; and

a non-magnetic intermediate layer between the free layer and the fixed layer,

wherein the free layer further includes a metal crystal soft magnetic layer, and the Co-based amorphous metal layer is provided between the soft magnetic layer and the Heusler alloy layer,

wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer is made of Co—

Fe—

X, where X is one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, W and B,

wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer is one or more orders of magnitude thinner than the Heusler alloy layer.

8. A magnetic read head including a magnetoresistive sensor where sense current flows in a stacking direction of the magnetoresistive sensor, the magnetoresistive sensor comprising:

a free layer having a magnetization direction that is affected by external magnetic fields and including a Heusler alloy layer and a Co-based amorphous metal layer;

a fixed layer which is stacked with the free layer and has a fixed magnetization direction; and

a non-magnetic intermediate layer between the free layer and the fixed layer,

wherein the free layer further includes a nanomagnetic layer having a BCC structure, and wherein the non-magnetic intermediate layer, the nanomagnetic layer and the Heusler alloy layer are formed successively in this order, and the nanomagnetic layer is one or more orders of magnitude thinner than the Heusler alloy layer.

9. The magnetic read head according to claim 8, wherein the nanomagnetic layer is made of a Co—

Fe alloy and the Fe proportion is 30 at % or more.

10. A magnetic read head including a magnetoresistive sensor where sense current flows in a stacking direction of the magnetoresistive sensor, the magnetoresistive sensor comprising:

a free layer having a magnetization direction that is affected by external magnetic fields and including a Heusler alloy layer and a Co-based amorphous metal layer, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer is made of Co—

Fe—

X, where X is one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, W and B, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer is one or more orders of magnitude thinner than the Heusler alloy layer;

a fixed layer which is stacked with the free layer and has a fixed magnetization direction; and

a non-magnetic intermediate layer between the free layer and the fixed layer,

wherein the free layer further includes a metal crystal soft magnetic layer, and the Co-based amorphous metal layer is provided between the soft magnetic layer and the Heusler alloy layer.

11. The magnetic read head according to claim 10, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer is made of Co—

X, where X is one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, W and B.

12. The magnetic read head according to claim 10, wherein the fixed layer includes a Heusler alloy layer.

13. A system, comprising:

a magnetic recording medium;

at least one magnetic head as recited in claim 10;

a drive mechanism for passing the magnetic recording medium over the magnetic head; and

a controller coupled to the magnetic head for controlling operation of the magnetic head.

14. A magnetic read head including a magnetoresistive sensor where sense current flows in a stacking direction of the magnetoresistive sensor, the magnetoresistive sensor comprising:

a free layer having a magnetization direction that is affected by external magnetic fields and including a Heusler alloy layer and a Co-based amorphous metal layer, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer includes at least one element selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, W and B;

a fixed layer which is stacked with the free layer and has a fixed magnetization direction; and

a non-magnetic intermediate layer between the free layer and the fixed layer,

wherein the free layer further includes a metal crystal soft magnetic layer, and the Co-based amorphous metal layer is provided between the soft magnetic layer and the Heusler alloy layer,

wherein the order of magnitude of the thickness of the Co-based amorphous metal layer is no less than the order of magnitude of thickness of the Heusler alloy layer.

15. A magnetic read head including a magnetoresistive sensor where sense current flows in a stacking direction of the magnetoresistive sensor, the magnetoresistive sensor comprising:

a free layer having a magnetization direction that is affected by external magnetic fields and including a Heusler alloy layer and a Co-based amorphous metal layer, wherein the Co-based amorphous metal layer includes at least one element selected from a group consisting of Ta, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, W and B;

a fixed layer which is stacked with the free layer and has a fixed magnetization direction; and

a non-magnetic intermediate layer between the free layer and the fixed layer,

wherein the free layer further includes a nanomagnetic layer having a BCC structure, and wherein the non-magnetic intermediate layer, the nanomagnetic layer and the Heusler alloy layer are formed successively in this order, and the nanomagnetic layer is one or more orders of magnitude thinner than the Heusler alloy layer.

16. The magnetic read head according to claim 15, wherein the nanomagnetic layer is made of a Co—

Fe alloy and the Fe proportion is 30 at % or more.