Heated AFM layer deposition and cooling process for TMR magnetic recording sensor with high pinning field

• US 9,147,408 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Corporation
• Inventors: Zheng, Yuankai, Leng, Qunwen, Zhao, Tong, Kaiser, Christian, Diao, Zhitao, Jiang, Xin
• Primary Examiner(s): Castro, Angel
• Application Number:
  US14/216,285
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 360/324.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/098 comprising tunnel junctions, e.g. tunnel magnetoresistance sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3163 Fabrication methods or processes specially adapted for a particular head structure, e.g. using base layers for electroplating, using functional layers for masking, using energy or particle beams for shaping the structure or modifying the properties of the basic layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/37 using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices G11B5/39 takes precedenceusing Hall or Hall-related effect, e.g. planar-Hall effect or pseudo-Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3909 Arrangements using a magnetic tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3268 the exchange coupling being asymmetric, e.g. by use of additional pinning, by using antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic coupling interface, i.e. so-called spin-valve [SV] structure, e.g. NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/3277 by use of artificial ferrimagnets [AFI] only
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 50/10 Magnetoresistive devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for manufacturing a magnetic recording sensor for use in a magnetic reader, such as a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) readers. The magnetic recording sensor can be manufactured by heating a substrate in a first chamber and depositing an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer on the heated substrate. Additionally, a first pinned layer is added onto the AFM layer, and the substrate is subsequently cooled.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a magnetic device on a substrate, comprising:

heating the substrate in a first chamber;

depositing an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer on the heated substrate;

adding a first pinned layer on the AFM layer; and

cooling the substrate after adding the first pinned layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to heating, the substrate comprises:

a shield layer;

a magnetic seed layer on the shield layer; and

a spacer on the magnetic seed layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the heated substrate is maintained at an approximately constant temperature during the operation of depositing the AFM layer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is heated in the first chamber to a temperature between 100°

C. and 300°

C.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the temperature of the substrate is less than 100°

C. after cooling the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the operation of cooling provides lower interlayer diffusion between the first pinned layer and the second pinned layer.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the substrate is heated using a resistive process.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the substrate is heated using a rapid thermal process.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the AFM layer is deposited in the first chamber that the substrate is heated.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the substrate is moved to a second chamber prior to performing the operation of depositing the AFM layer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a second pinned layer on the first pinned layer after cooling the substrate.