Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic read sensor and a magnetic read sensor are provided. In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes providing a seed layer disposed over a substrate of the magnetic read sensor, providing a free layer disposed over a seed layer and providing a spacer layer disposed over the free layer. The method further includes providing a pinned layer disposed over the spacer layer. In one embodiment, the pinned layer includes cobalt and iron, wherein the concentration of iron in the pinned layer is between 33 and 37 atomic percent (at. %). The method further includes providing a pinning layer disposed over the pinned layer, wherein the pinning layer is in contact with the pinned layer.

Abstract: A bottom-pinned current-in-the-plane spin-valve magnetoresistive sensor has a dual metal-oxide capping layer on the top ferromagnetic free layer. The first capping layer is formed on the free layer and is one or more oxides of zinc (Zn). The second capping layer is formed on the first capping layer and is an oxide of a metal having an affinity for oxygen greater than Zn, such as one or more oxides of Ta, Al, Hf, Zr, Y, Ti, W, Si, V, Mg, Cr, Nb, Mo and Mn.

Abstract: A method for constructing a magnetoresistive sensor using a horizontally disposed superconducting magnetic tool. The superconducting magnetic tool is capable of generating very high magnetic fields for sustained periods of time to effectively set the magnetizations of magnetoresitive sensors having a very high pinning field. The supermagnetic tool has a ceramic tube surrounded by a superconducting coil. The tube has a longitudinal axis that is oriented horizontally, thereby providing numerous important benefits, such as: facilitating manipulation of the sensor containing wafer within the tool; facilitating loading of the wafer into the tool; preventing temperature and field gradients within the wafer during the anneal; and facilitating maintenance and storage of the tool by limiting the height of the tool.

Abstract: A giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor with strongly pinning and pinned layers is described for magnetic recording at ultrahigh densities. The pinning layer is an antiferromagnetic (AFM) iridium-manganese-chromium (Ir—Mn—Cr) film having a Mn content of approximately from 70 to 80 atomic percent and having a Cr content of approximately from 1 to 10 atomic percent. The first pinned layer is preferably a ferromagnetic Co—Fe having an Fe content of approximately from 20 to 80 at % and having high, positive saturation magnetostriction. The second pinned layer is preferably a ferromagnetic Co—Fe having an Fe content of approximately from 0 to 10 atomic percent. The net magnetic moment of the first and second pinned layers is designed to be nearly zero in order to achieve a pinning field of beyond 3,000 Oe.

Abstract: A magnetic head having a free layer and an antiparallel (AP) pinned layer structure spaced apart from the free layer. The AP pinned layer structure includes at least two pinned layers having magnetic moments that are self-pinned antiparallel to each other, the pinned layers being separated by an AP coupling layer constructed of a Ru alloy. The use of a Ru alloy coupling layer significantly increases the pinning field of the AP pinned layer structure over a pure Ru spacer.

Abstract: A method for achieving a nearly zero net magnetic moment of pinned layers in GMR sensors, such as Co—Fe/Ru/Co—Fe, is described. The method determines a thickness of the first pinned layer which will yield the desired net magnetic moment for the pinned layers. A series of test structures are deposited on a substrate such as glass. The test structures include the seed layers, pinning layers and pinned layers and have varying thicknesses of the first pinned layer. The compositions of the materials and the thicknesses of all of the other films remain constant. The net areal magnetic moment of each test structure is measured and plotted versus the thickness of the first pinned layer. The thickness of the first pinned layer which corresponds most closely to zero net areal magnetic moment is chosen as the design point for the sensor.

Abstract: An anti-parallel pinned sensor is provided with a spacer that increases the anti-parallel coupling strength of the sensor. The anti-parallel pinned sensor is a GMR or TMR sensor having a pure ruthenium or ruthenium alloy spacer. The thickness of the spacer is less than 0.8 nm, preferably between 0.1 and 0.6 nm. The spacer is also annealed in a magnetic field that is 1.5 Tesla or higher, and preferably greater than 5 Tesla. This design yields unexpected results by more than tripling the pinning field over that of typical AP-pinned GMR and TMR sensors that utilize ruthenium spacers which are 0.8 nm thick and annealed in a relatively low magnetic field of approximately 1.3 Tesla.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an improved magnetic read sensor having synthetic or AP pinned layers with high resistance and high magnetoelastic anisotropy is disclosed. A pinned layer includes a cobalt-iron ternary alloy, where a third constituent of the cobalt-iron ternary alloy layer is selected for increasing the resistance and magnetoelastic anisotropy of the cobalt-iron ternary alloy layer.

Abstract: A bottom-pinned current-in-the-plane spin-valve magnetoresistive sensor has a dual metal-oxide capping layer on the top ferromagnetic free layer. The first capping layer is formed on the free layer and is one or more oxides of zinc (Zn). The second capping layer is formed on the first capping layer and is an oxide of a metal having an affinity for oxygen greater than Zn, such as one or more oxides of Ta, Al, Hf, Zr, Y, Ti, W, Si, V, Mg, Cr, Nb, Mo and Mn.

Abstract: A magnetic head and magnetic storage system containing such a head, the head including a free layer and a layer of metal oxide substantially epitaxially formed relative to the free layer. Preferably, the layer of metal oxide is a crystalline structure, and is of ZnO.

Abstract: A magnetic thin film disk for use in a disk drive with a ruthenium-aluminum (RuAl) seed layer with B2 structure followed by a NiAl layer is described. The disk has reduced noise and increased squareness which results in improved recording performance in a disk drive utilizing the disk. The improved disk is formed by first depositing the RuAl seed layer on the substrate then the NiAl layer is deposited onto the NiAl, followed by the other layers required for a magnetic disk such as an underlayer material with a lattice parameter compatible with RuAl such as Cr-alloy, followed by a standard hcp magnetic material. The RuAl seed layer promotes a [100] preferred orientation in the underlayer which in turn promotes a [11{overscore (2)}0] preferred orientation in the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A spin valve sensor in a read head has a spacer layer which is located between a self-pinned AP pinned layer structure and a free layer structure. The free layer structure is longitudinally stabilized by first and second hard bias layers which abut first and second side surfaces of the spin valve sensor. The AP pinned layer structure has an antiparallel coupling layer (APC) which is located between first and second AP pinned layers (AP1) and (AP2). The invention employs a resetting process for setting of the magnetic moments of the AP pinned layers by applying a field at an acute angle to the head surface in a plane parallel to the major planes of the layers of the sensor. The resetting process sets a proper polarity of each AP pinned layer, which polarity conforms to processing circuitry employed with the spin valve sensor.

Abstract: A magnetic thin film disk for use in a disk drive with a ruthenium-aluminum (RuAl) seed layer with B2 structure followed by a NiAl layer is described. The disk has reduced noise and increased squareness which results in improved recording performance in a disk drive utilizing the disk. The improved disk is formed by first depositing the RuAl seed layer on the substrate then the NiAl layer is deposited onto the NiAl, followed by the other layers required for a magnetic disk such as an underlayer material with a lattice parameter compatible with RuAl such as Cr-alloy, followed by a standard hcp magnetic material. The RuAl seed layer promotes a [100] preferred orientation in the underlayer which in turn promotes a [11{overscore (2)}0] preferred orientation in the magnetic layer.

Abstract: The thin film magnetic disk of the present invention includes a non-metallic substrate having a seed layer deposited on the substrate, an underlayer deposited upon the seed layer composed of a chromium alloy having a relatively high oxygen concentration portion of from 2,000 ppm to 20,000 ppm and preferably approximately 4,000 ppm to 12,000 ppm, followed by a relatively low oxygen concentration portion of from 0-2,000 ppm, and preferably from 500 ppm to 1,500 ppm and a magnetic layer that is deposited upon the underlayer. The underlayer total thickness is in the range of from approximately 250 Å to approximately 700 Å with a preferred thickness of approximately 450 Å, wherein approximately half of the underlayer thickness is the high oxygen concentration portion and half is the low oxygen concentration portion.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film magnetic disk including depositing a seed layer of a refractory metal such as tantalum, Cr, Nb, W, V, or Mo and a reactive element such as N or O; depositing a nonmagnetic underlayer onto the seed layer; and depositing a magnetic layer is disclosed. Also disclosed is a thin film magnetic disk having a substrate; a seed layer comprising tantalum and at least about 1 atomic-% of nitrogen or oxygen; an underlayer comprising Cr or an alloy of chromium deposited onto the seed layer, the underlayer preferably having a preferred orientation of [200]; and a magnetic layer deposited onto the underlayer, the magnetic layer preferably having a preferred orientation of [11{overscore (2)}0]. Also disclosed is a disk drive using the thin film magnetic disk of the invention.

Abstract: A thin film disk and a disk drive using the thin film disk are described. The disk has an onset layer between the underlayer and the boron containing magnetic layer, for example. The onset layer of the invention is useful because the boron containing magnetic layer material resists being deposited with the C-axis in plane. The onset layer material is selected to promote an in-plane C-axis orientation. When a boron containing magnetic layer is deposited on the onset layer the resulting in-plane PO is improved. The preferred onset layer is of hexagonal closed pack structured material which may be magnetic or nonmagnetic. Materials which are usable for the onset layer include a wide range of pure elements and cobalt alloys such as CoCr, CoPtCr, CoPtCrTa and CoCrB.

Abstract: Magnetic recording media suitable for high density recording are provided by a carbon substrate, a magnetic recording layer, and at least one interlayer therebetween which provides one or more properties beneficial to preventing diffusion, inducing a preferred orientation in the magnetic recording layer and/or promoting adhesion between a carbon substrate and a barium hexaferrite-based magnetic recording layer. Alternatively, the present magnetic recording media may contain two different interlayers, which bar diffusion of carbon atoms from said substrate to said magnetic recording layer, improve adhesion between adjacent layers, induce an orientation in the magnetic recording layer, or any combination thereof. The present recording media are particularly advantageous for perpendicular recording. Processes for producing these magnetic recording media are also provided.