Abstract: The present utility model relates to a device for improving gas detection in a photoionization detector. A gas detector is provided. The device reduces interference of photoelectric noise on the reading of the gas detector for target gases such as volatile organic compounds.

Abstract: A magnetic recording write head includes a spin torque oscillator (STO) between a seed layer disposed on a write pole and trailing shield. The seed layer has a cross-track width greater than the width of the STO and a depth in a direction orthogonal to the disk-facing surface of the write pole greater than the depth of the STO. A first insulating refill layer is formed on the sides of the seed layer and STO, and a second insulating refill layer in contact with the first refill layer has a thermal conductivity greater than that of the first refill layer. When current is passing through the STO, the seed layer spreads the current to reduce heating of the write pole and STO, and the bilayer refill material facilitates the transfer of heat away from the write pole and STO.

Abstract: Magnetic sensors using spin Hall effect and methods for fabricating same are provided. One such magnetic sensor includes a spin Hall layer including an electrically conductive, non-magnetic material, a magnetic free layer adjacent to the spin Hall layer, a pair of push terminals configured to enable an electrical current to pass through the magnetic free layer and the spin Hall layer in a direction that is perpendicular to a plane of the free and spin Hall layers, and a pair of sensing terminals configured to sense a voltage when the electrical current passes through the magnetic free layer and the spin Hall layer, where each of the push and sensing terminals is electrically isolated from the other terminals.

Abstract: A magnetic recording write head includes a spin torque oscillator (STO) between the write pole and trailing shield and an extended seed layer on the write pole beneath the STO. The seed layer has a cross-track width greater than the width of the STO and a depth in a direction orthogonal to the disk-facing surface of the write pole greater than the depth of the STO. A first insulating refill layer is formed on the sides of the extended seed layer and STO and a second insulating refill layer in contact with the first refill layer has a thermal conductivity greater than that of the first refill layer. When current is passing through the STO the extended seed layer spreads the current to reduce heating of the write pole and STO and the bilayer refill material facilitates the transfer of heat away from the write pole and STO.

Abstract: A magnetic recording write head includes a spin torque oscillator (STO) between the write pole and trailing shield and an extended seed layer on the write pole beneath the STO. The seed layer has a cross-track width greater than the width of the STO and a depth in a direction orthogonal to the disk-facing surface of the write pole greater than the depth of the STO. A first insulating refill layer is formed on the sides of the extended seed layer and STO and a second insulating refill layer in contact with the first refill layer has a thermal conductivity greater than that of the first refill layer. When current is passing through the STO the extended seed layer spreads the current to reduce heating of the write pole and STO and the bilayer refill material facilitates the transfer of heat away from the write pole and STO.

Abstract: Magnetic sensors using spin Hall effect and methods for fabricating same are provided. One such magnetic sensor includes a spin Hall layer including an electrically conductive, non-magnetic material, a magnetic free layer adjacent to the spin Hall layer, a pair of push terminals configured to enable an electrical current to pass through the magnetic free layer and the spin Hall layer in a direction that is perpendicular to a plane of the free and spin Hall layers, and a pair of sensing terminals configured to sense a voltage when the electrical current passes through the magnetic free layer and the spin Hall layer, where each of the push and sensing terminals is electrically isolated from the other terminals.

Abstract: An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a read sensor. The read sensor has an antiferromagnetic layer (AFM), a first antiparallel magnetic layer (AP1 ) positioned above the AFM layer in a first direction oriented along a media-facing surface and perpendicular to a track width direction, a non-magnetic layer positioned above the AP1 in the first direction, a second antiparallel magnetic layer (AP2) positioned above the non-magnetic layer in the first direction, a harrier layer positioned above the AP2 in the first direction, and a free layer positioned above the barrier layer in the first direction. A soft bias layer is positioned behind at least a portion of the free layer in an element height direction normal to the media-facing surface, the soft bias layer including a soft magnetic material configured to compensate for a magnetic coupling of the free layer with the AP2.

Abstract: A STT-RAM MTJ is disclosed with a MgO tunnel barrier formed by natural oxidation and containing an oxygen surfactant layer to form a more uniform MgO layer and lower breakdown distribution percent. A CoFeB/NCC/CoFeB composite free layer with a middle nanocurrent channel layer minimizes Jc0 while enabling thermal stability, write voltage, read voltage, and Hc values that satisfy 64 Mb design requirements. The NCC layer has RM grains in an insulator matrix where R is Co, Fe, or Ni, and M is a metal such as Si or Al. NCC thickness is maintained around the minimum RM grain size to avoid RM granules not having sufficient diameter to bridge the distance between upper and lower CoFeB layers. A second NCC layer and third CoFeB layer may be included in the free layer or a second NCC layer may be inserted below the Ru capping layer.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic head having a sensor stack and a bias material that is aligned in a direction perpendicular to a media facing surface. The sensor stack and a first portion of the bias material are laterally bookended by synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structures, and a second portion of the bias material is laterally bookended by a dielectric material. In this configuration, the SAF structures are decoupled from the bias material, which minimizes the disturbance to the bias material.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor having a novel pinning structure resulting in a greatly reduced gap spacing. The sensor has a magnetic free layer structure that extends to a first stripe height and a magnetic pinned layer structure that extends to a second stripe height that is longer than the first stripe high. A layer of anti-ferromagnetic material is formed over the pinned layer structure in the region beyond the first stripe height location. In this way, the antiferromagnetic layer is between the pinned layer and the second or upper shield and does not contribute to gap spacing.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor having a structure that optimizes magnetic pinning strength and magnetic free layer stability. The sensor includes a sensor stack having a magnetic free layer that extends to a first stripe height and a pinned layer that extends beyond the first stripe height to a second stripe height. Magnetic bias structures are formed at the sides of the free layer and are each formed upon a non-magnetic fill layer that raises the bias layer to the level of the free layer, the non-magnetic fill layer being at the level of the pinned layer in the sensor stack. The fill layer allows the free layer stripe height to be defined in a partial mill process while allowing the pinned layer to extend beyond the free layer stripe height and also advantageously allows the bias layers to have a stripe height that is aligned with the free layer stripe height.

Abstract: A magnetic read sensor having a magnetic seed layer, a pinned layer structure formed over the magnetic seed layer, a non-magnetic barrier or spacer layer formed over the pinned layer structure and a magnetic free layer structure formed over the non-magnetic barrier or spacer layer. The pinned layer has a stripe height (measured from the media facing surface) that is greater than a stripe height of the magnetic free layer structure. In addition, the magnetic seed layer structure has a stripe height (also measured from the media facing surface) that is greater than the stripe height of the magnetic pinned layer structure and the magnetic free layer structure. The stripe height of the magnetic seed layer structure can be controlled independently of the stripe heights of the magnetic pinned layer structure and the magnetic free layer structure.

Abstract: A magnetic read sensor having improved pinning and reduced area resistance. The sensor has pinned magnetic layer that extends beyond the functional stripe of the sensor to improve magnetic pinning. The free layer has a magnetic portion that extends to the functional stripe height and a non-magnetic portion that extends beyond the functional stripe height. The sensor may have an end point detection layer located between the magnetic pinned layer and the magnetic free layer.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor having a novel pinning structure resulting in a greatly reduced gap spacing. The sensor has a magnetic free layer structure that extends to a first stripe height and a magnetic pinned layer structure that extends to a second stripe height that is longer than the first stripe high. A layer of anti-ferromagnetic material is formed over the pinned layer structure in the region beyond the first stripe height location. In this way, the antiferromagnetic layer is between the pinned layer and the second or upper shield and does not contribute to gap spacing.

Abstract: A magnetic read head that has improved pinned layer stability while also maintaining excellent free layer stability. The free layer has sides that define a trackwidth of the sensor and a back edge that defines a functional stripe height of the sensor. However, the pinned layer can extend significantly beyond both the width of the free layer and the back edge (e.g. stripe height) of the free layer. The sensor also has a soft magnetic bias structure that compensates for the reduced volume presented by the side extension of the pinned layer. The soft magnetic bias structure can be magnetically coupled with the trailing magnetic shield, either parallel coupled or anti-parallel coupled. In addition, all or a portion of the soft magnetic bias structure can be exchange coupled to a layer of anti-ferromagnetic material in order to improve the robustness of the soft magnetic bias structure.

Abstract: A scissor style magnetic sensor having a novel hard bias structure for improved magnetic biasing robustness. The sensor includes a sensor stack that includes first and second magnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic layer such as an electrically insulating barrier layer or an electrically conductive spacer layer. The first and second magnetic layers have magnetizations that are antiparallel coupled, but that are canted in a direction that is neither parallel with nor perpendicular to the air bearing surface by a magnetic bias structure. The magnetic bias structure includes a neck portion extending from the back edge of the sensor stack and having first and second sides that are aligned with first and second sides of the sensor stack. The bias structure also includes a tapered or wedged portion extending backward from the neck portion.

Abstract: A magnetic read sensor having an extended pinned layer structure and also having an extended free layer structure. The extended pinned layer structure and extended free layer structure both extend beyond the strip height of the free layer of the sensor to provide improved pinning strength as well as improved free layer biasing reliability and bias field strength.

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.

Abstract: A magnetic read sensor having a hard bias structure that extends beyond the back edge of the sensor stack by a controlled, distance that is chosen to maximize both hard bias field and hard bias magnetic coercivity and anisotropy. The hard bias structure has a back edge that is well defined and that has a square corner at its innermost end adjacent to the sensor stack. The magnetic sensor can be constructed by a process that includes a separate making an milling process that is dedicated to defining the back edge of the hard bias structure.

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.