Shape enhanced pin read head magnetic transducer with stripe height defined first and method of making same
First Claim
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1. A magnetic head, comprising:
- a sensor stack formed over a substrate, the sensor stack having a pinned layer, a free layer and a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between the pinned layer and the free layer;
a first hard or soft bias layer disposed within a first channel, positioned within the sensor stack and having a substantially uniform thickness, wherein the first channel is defined by a first barrier layer and bound by the free layer, the non-magnetic layer, the pinned layer and the substrate;
a second hard or soft bias layer disposed within a second channel, positioned within the sensor stack and having a substantially uniform thickness, wherein the second channel is defined by a second barrier layer and bound by the free layer, the non-magnetic layer, the pinned layer and the substrate;
a first dielectric layer bordered by and in contact with the first barrier layer, the pinned layer and the first hard or soft bias layer; and
a second dielectric layer bordered by and in contact with the second barrier layer, the pinned layer and the second hard or soft bias layer.
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to a magnetic sensor in a read head having a hard or soft bias layer that is uniform in thickness within the sensor stack. The method of making such sensor is also disclosed. The free layer stripe height is first defined, followed by defining the track width, and lastly the pinned layer stripe height is defined. The pinned layer and the hard or soft bias layer are defined in the same process step. This approach eliminates a partial hard or soft bias layer and reduces potential instability issues.
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6 Claims
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1. A magnetic head, comprising:
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a sensor stack formed over a substrate, the sensor stack having a pinned layer, a free layer and a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between the pinned layer and the free layer; a first hard or soft bias layer disposed within a first channel, positioned within the sensor stack and having a substantially uniform thickness, wherein the first channel is defined by a first barrier layer and bound by the free layer, the non-magnetic layer, the pinned layer and the substrate; a second hard or soft bias layer disposed within a second channel, positioned within the sensor stack and having a substantially uniform thickness, wherein the second channel is defined by a second barrier layer and bound by the free layer, the non-magnetic layer, the pinned layer and the substrate; a first dielectric layer bordered by and in contact with the first barrier layer, the pinned layer and the first hard or soft bias layer; and a second dielectric layer bordered by and in contact with the second barrier layer, the pinned layer and the second hard or soft bias layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification