Coupling feature in a magnetoresistive trilayer lamination

• US 8,970,991 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Dimitrov, Dimitar Velikov, Song, Dian, Jung, Wonjoon, Covington, Mark William, Kief, Mark Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, JEFFERSON A
• Application Number:
  US13/797,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20140268428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 360/313, 360/319, 360/324.1, 360/324.11, 360/324.12, 360/324.2, 360/324
• US Class Current: 360/313
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3932 Magnetic biasing films

Abstract

A data storage device may be generally directed to a data transducing head capable of magnetoresistive data reading. Such a data transducing head may be configured with at least a trilayer reader that contacts and is biased by a coupling feature. The coupling feature may have a smaller extent from an air bearing surface (ABS) than the trilayer reader.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a trilayer reader contacting and biased by a coupling feature, the coupling feature disposed between a magnetic shield and the trilayer reader, the coupling feature comprising a synthetic antiferromagnet, having a smaller extent from an air bearing surface (ABS) than the trilayer reader, and having a larger width on the ABS than the trilayer reader.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling feature couples the trilayer reader to a magnetic shield.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the coupling feature comprises a lamination of directly contacting magnetic layers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling feature comprises a lamination of magnetic and non-magnetic layers.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trilayer reader comprises first and second ferromagnetic free layers contacting opposite sides of a non-magnetic spacer layer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein first and second exchange coupling layers respectively contact the first and second ferromagnetic free layers opposite the non-magnetic spacer layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second exchange coupling layers respectively RKKY couple the first and second ferromagnetic free layers separate magnetic shields.

8. A transducing head comprising a coupling feature disposed between and coupling a trilayer reader to a magnetic shield, the coupling feature comprising a synthetic antiferromagnet, having a smaller perpendicular extent from an air bearing surface (ABS), and having a larger width on the ABS than the trilayer reader to define a non-magnetic bevel region between the trilayer reader and magnetic shield, distal the ABS.

9. The transducing head of claim 8, wherein the extent of the trilayer reader from the ABS in a first direction is greater than four times the extent of the trilayer reader along the ABS in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction.

10. The transducing head of claim 9, wherein a biasing magnet is adjacent to and separated from the trilayer reader, distal the ABS, the biasing magnet having a greater extent along the ABS in the second direction than the trilayer reader.

11. The transducing head of claim 10, wherein the biasing magnet extends into the non-magnetic bevel region.

12. The transducing head of claim 8, wherein the magnetic shield has a greater perpendicular extent from the ABS than the trilayer reader and coupling feature.

13. A data storage device comprising a trilayer reader respectively coupled to and biased by first and second magnetic shields via first and second coupling features, the first coupling feature comprising a synthetic antiferromagnet, the first and second coupling features each contacting the trilayer reader with smaller extents from an air bearing surface (ABS) and larger widths on the ABS than the trilayer reader.

14. The data storage device of claim 13, wherein the first and second magnetic shields are set to a common magnetic orientation.

15. The data storage device of claim 14, wherein the first magnetic shield contacts a first domain control element distal the ABS and trilayer reader.

16. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the second magnetic shield contacts a second domain control element on the ABS.

17. The data storage device of claim 16, wherein the second domain control element continuously surrounds the trilayer reader along two orthogonal sides.

18. The data storage device of claim 13, wherein at least one magnetic shield has a varying thickness defined by an angled transition region distal the ABS and within the trilayer reader extent from the ABS.

19. The data storage device of claim 18, wherein at least one coupling feature continuously extends along the angled transition region.