Abstract: Detection of magnetic beads at temperature below room temperature can increase the signal level significantly as compared to the same detection when performed at room temperature. Additional improvement is obtained if the beads are below 30 nm in size and if deviations of bead size from the median are small. A preferred format for the beads is a suspension of super-paramagnetic particles in a non-magnetic medium.

Abstract: In a read-write head, the shields can serve as magnetic flux conductors for external fields, so that they direct a certain amount of flux into the recording medium. This problem has been overcome by the addition to the shields of a pair of tabs located at the edges closest to the ABS. These tabs serve to prevent flux concentrating at the edges so that horizontal fields at these edges are significantly reduced. Said tabs need to have aspect ratios of at least 2 and may be either triangular or rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the tabs may be omitted and, instead, outer portions of the shield's lower edge may be shaped so as to slope upwards away from the ABS.

Abstract: A high performance TMR sensor is fabricated by incorporating a tunnel barrier having a Mg/MgO/Mg configuration. The 4 to 14 Angstroms thick lower Mg layer and 2 to 8 Angstroms thick upper Mg layer are deposited by a DC sputtering method while the MgO layer is formed by a NOX process involving oxygen pressure from 0.1 mTorr to 1 Torr for 15 to 300 seconds. NOX time and pressure may be varied to achieve a MR ratio of at least 34% and a RA value of 2.1 ohm-um2. The NOX process provides a more uniform MgO layer than sputtering methods. The second Mg layer is employed to prevent oxidation of an adjacent ferromagnetic layer. In a bottom spin valve configuration, a Ta/Ru seed layer, IrMn AFM layer, CoFe/Ru/CoFeB pinned layer, Mg/MgO/Mg barrier, CoFe/NiFe free layer, and a cap layer are sequentially formed on a bottom shield in a read head.

Abstract: An insertion layer is provided between an AFM layer and an AP2 pinned layer in a GMR or TMR element to improve exchange coupling properties by increasing Hex and the Hex/Hc ratio without degrading the MR ratio. The insertion layer may be a 1 to 15 Angstrom thick amorphous magnetic layer comprised of at least one element of Co, Fe, or Ni, and at least one element having an amorphous character selected from B, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Si, or P, or a 1 to 5 Angstrom thick non-magnetic layer comprised of Cu, Ru, Mn, Hf, or Cr. Preferably, the content of the one or more amorphous elements in the amorphous magnetic layer is less than 40 atomic %. Optionally, the insertion layer may be formed within the AP2 pinned layer. Examples of an insertion layer are CoFeB, CoFeZr, CoFeNb, CoFeHf, CoFeNiZr, CoFeNiHf, and CoFeNiNbZr.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a magnetic shield in which all domain patterns and orientations are stable and which are consistently repeated each time said shield is exposed to an initialization field. The shield is given a shape which ensures that all closure domains can align themselves at a reduced angle relative to the initialization direction while still being roughly antiparallel to one another. Most, though not all, of these shapes are variations on trapezoids.

Abstract: By inserting a spin polarizing layer (typically pure iron) within the free layer of a MTJ or GMR memory cell, dR/R can be improved without significantly affecting other free layer properties such as Hc. Additional performance improvements can be achieved by also inserting a surfactant layer (typically oxygen) within the free layer.

Abstract: A layered chip package includes a main body and wiring. The main body includes: a main part having a top surface and a bottom surface and including three or more layer portions stacked on one another; a plurality of first terminals disposed on the top surface of the main part; and a plurality of second terminals disposed on the bottom surface of the main part. Each layer portion includes a semiconductor chip having first and second surfaces, and a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the wiring. The plurality of electrodes are disposed on a side of the first surface of the semiconductor chip. A first layer portion located closest to the top surface of the main part and a second layer portion located closest to the bottom surface of the main part are arranged so that the second surfaces of their respective semiconductor chips face toward each other. The plurality of first terminals are formed by using the plurality of electrodes of the first layer portion.

Abstract: A layered chip package includes a main body and wiring. The main body has a main part. The main part has a top surface and a bottom surface and includes a plurality of layer portions that are stacked. The wiring includes a plurality of lines passing through all the plurality of layer portions. Each layer portion includes a semiconductor chip and a plurality of electrodes. The semiconductor chip has a first surface, and a second surface opposite thereto. The plurality of electrodes are disposed on a side of the first surface of the semiconductor chip. The plurality of layer portions include two or more pairs of first and second layer portions in each of which the first and second layer portions are arranged so that the first or second surfaces of the respective semiconductor chips face each other. The plurality of electrodes include a plurality of first connection parts and a plurality of second connection parts.

Abstract: A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of SiO2 or SiON and has a top surface. The method includes the step of forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched, and the step of taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces that intersect at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The etching mask is formed of a material containing elemental Al. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas that contains a main component gas, which contributes to the etching of the layer to be etched, and N2.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a gap part, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section includes a yoke part and first and second coupling layers. The first coupling layer is connected to the write shield. The second coupling layer magnetically couples the first coupling layer to the yoke part, and has an end face facing toward a medium facing surface and located away from the medium facing surface. The coil includes a first coil element and a plurality of second coil elements that each extend to pass through a space defined by the main pole, the gap part, the write shield, and the return path section. The first coil element is disposed with the first coupling layer interposed between the medium facing surface and the first coil element. The second coil elements are disposed with the second coupling layer interposed between the medium facing surface and the second coil elements, and with the first coil element interposed between the main pole and the second coil elements.

Abstract: A laminated high moment film with a non-AFC configuration is disclosed that can serve as a seed layer for a main pole layer or as the main pole layer itself in a PMR writer. The laminated film includes a plurality of (B/M) stacks where B is an alignment layer and M is a high moment layer. Adjacent (B/M) stacks are separated by an amorphous layer that breaks the magnetic coupling between adjacent high moment layers and reduces remanence in a hard axis direction while maintaining a high magnetic moment and achieving low values for Hch, Hce, and Hk. The amorphous material layer may be made of an oxide, nitride, or oxynitride of one or more of Hf, Zr, Ta, Al, Mg, Zn, Ti, Cr, Nb, or Si, or may be Hf, Zr, Ta, Nb, CoFeB, CoB, FeB, or CoZrNb. Alignment layers are FCC soft ferromagnetic materials or non-magnetic FCC materials.

Abstract: A layered chip package has a main body including pairs of layer portions, and wiring disposed on a side surface of the main body. Each layer portion includes a semiconductor chip. The pairs of layer portions include specific pairs of layer portions. Each of the specific pairs of layer portions includes a first-type layer portion and a second-type layer portion. The first-type layer portion includes electrodes each connected to the semiconductor chip and each having an end face located at the side surface of the main body on which the wiring is disposed, whereas the second-type layer portion does not include such electrodes. The specific pairs of layer portions are provided in an even number.

Abstract: The pinning field in an MR device was significantly improved by using the Ru 4A peak together with steps to minimize interfacial roughness of the ruthenium layer as well as boron and manganese diffusion into the ruthenium layer during manufacturing. This made it possible to anneal at temperatures as high as 340° C. whereby a high MR ratio could be simultaneously achieved.

Abstract: Plasma nitridation, in place of plasma oxidation, is used for the formation of a CCP layer. Al, Mg, Hf, etc. all form insulating nitrides under these conditions. Maintaining the structure at a temperature of at least 150° C. during plasma nitridation and/or performing post annealing at a temperature of 220° C. or higher, ensures that no copper nitride can form. Additionally, unintended oxidation by molecular oxygen of the exposed magnetic layers (mainly the pinned and free layers) is also avoided.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer, a near-field light generating layer having a generating end part generating near-field light arranged within a medium-opposing surface, and an optical waveguide guiding light to the near-field light generating layer. The thermally assisted magnetic head includes a base layer which a base groove part having a width gradually getting smaller along a depth direction and extending in an intersecting direction intersecting with the medium-opposing surface is formed. The near-field light generating layer has an in-groove generating layer formed inside of the base groove part. The in-groove generating layer is formed along an inner wall surface of the base groove part and has a thin-film like structure.

Abstract: In a method of forming a main pole, an initial accommodation layer is etched by RIE using a first etching mask having a first opening, whereby a groove is formed in the initial accommodation layer. Next, a part of the initial accommodation layer including the groove is etched by RIE using a second etching mask having a second opening, so that the groove becomes an accommodation part. The main pole is then formed in the accommodation part. The first etching mask has first and second sidewalls that face the first opening and are opposed to each other at a first distance in a track width direction. The second etching mask has third and fourth sidewalls that face the second opening and are opposed to each other at a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a write shield layer, a gap layer, and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. The thin-film magnetic head has a shield magnetic layer. The shield magnetic layer is connected to the main magnetic pole layer. The shield magnetic layer has a lower front shield part. A front end angle representing an angle formed between a front end face of the lower front shield part and a lower end face is set at an obtuse angle. The front end face is disposed in the medium-opposing surface. The lower end face is disposed at a position closest to the substrate in the lower front shield part.

Abstract: A PMR writer with a tapered main pole layer and tapered non-magnetic top-shaping layer is disclosed that minimizes trailing shield saturation. A second non-magnetic top shaping layer may be employed to reduce the effective TH size while the bulk of the trailing shield is thicker to allow a larger process window for back end processing. A sloped surface with one end at the ABS and a second end 0.05 to 0.3 microns from the ABS is formed at a 10 to 80 degree angle to the ABS and includes a sloped surface on the upper portion of the main pole layer and on the non-magnetic top shaping layer. An end is formed on the second non-magnetic top shaping layer at the second end of the sloped surface followed by forming a conformal write gap layer and then depositing the trailing shield on the write gap layer and along the ABS.

Abstract: A method of forming a TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) write head that uses the energy of optical-laser generated edge plasmons in a plasmon antenna to locally heat a magnetic recording medium and reduce its coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. The method incorporates forming a magnetic core within the plasmon antenna, so the antenna effectively becomes an extension of the magnetic pole and produces a magnetic field whose maximum gradient overlaps the region being heated by the edge plasmons generated in the conducting layer of the antenna surrounding the antenna's magnetic core.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a write shield layer, a gap layer, and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. The thin-film magnetic head includes a return magnetic pole layer and a connecting magnetic layer. The return magnetic pole layer is formed at a position distanced from the medium-opposing surface on the side opposite to the write shield layer with the main magnetic pole layer intervening therebetween. The connecting magnetic layer is formed using a magnetic material so as to connect the return magnetic pole layer to the write shield layer on the side closer to the medium-opposing surface than is the thin-film coil. The thin-film coil is wound as a flat spiral around the write shield layer. A part of the thin-film coil wound as the flat spiral is disposed only at a position distanced from the substrate than is the main magnetic pole layer.