Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a stepped trailing shield. The stepped trailing shield is formed by forming a non-magnetic bump over a write pole prior to electroplating a wrap-around magnetic shield. The method allows the location of the front edge of the bump relative to the back edge of the wrap-around shield to be monitored by measuring the electrical resistance of an electrical lapping guide formed concurrently with these features. This concurrent formation of a lapping guide can be used to define the relative location of other features as well, such as the location of a back edge of a wrap-around shield relative to a flare point of a write pole.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic memory are described. The magnetic junction includes first and second pinned layers, first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers, and a free layer. The pinned layers are nonmagnetic layer-free and self-pinned. In some aspects, the magnetic junction is configured to allow the free and second pinned layers to be switched between stable magnetic states when write currents are passed therethrough. The magnetic junction has greater than two stable states. In other aspects, the magnetic junction includes at least third and fourth spacer layers, a second free layer therebetween, and a third pinned layer having a pinned layer magnetic moment, being nonmagnetic layer-free, and being coupled to the second pinned layer. The magnetic junction is configured to allow the free layers to be switched between stable magnetic states when write currents are passed therethrough.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic memory are described. The magnetic junction includes first and second pinned layers, first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers, and a free layer. The first pinned layer has a first pinned layer magnetic moment and is nonmagnetic layer-free. The first nonmagnetic spacer layer resides between the first pinned and free layers. The free layer resides between the first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers. The second pinned layer has a second pinned layer magnetic moment and is nonmagnetic layer-free. The second nonmagnetic spacer layer resides between the free and second pinned layers. The first and second pinned layer magnetic moments are antiferromagnetically coupled and self-pinned. The magnetic junction is configured to allow the free layer to be switched between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating an array of magnetic elements to form memory and other devices with a high areal density.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating a write head with a self aligned wrap around shield and a self aligned flared region of a write pole. A flare point and a track width of a write pole may be fabricated using multiple processes. The multiple processes utilize several masking structures to define the track width and the flare point of the write pole. A mask structure is formed to cover a first portion of the write pole. An edge of the mask structure adjacent to an exposed second portion of the write pole defines a flare point of the write pole. Various structures of the write head, including shield gap layers, a wrap around shield and a flared region (e.g., the yoke) of the write pole may be fabricated from the flare point defined by the mask structure.

Abstract: A magnetic structure for use in a magnetic head for avoiding stray field writing. The magnetic structure can be for example a magnetic shield or could be a magnetic pole of a write head and is particularly advantageous for use in a perpendicular recording system, because such perpendicular recording systems are especially susceptible to stray field writing. The magnetic structure includes a forward protruding portion that extends toward the air bearing surface (ABS) of the head also includes first and second wing portions that extend laterally from the forward protruding portion. The wing portions each have includes an inner constant recess portion, and an outer tapered portion. The inner constant recess portion of each wing prevents stray field writing while also preventing magnetic saturation, the outer tapered portions, which taper away from the ABS as they extend laterally outward, further prevent stray field writing by removing the outer corners of the shield away from the ABS.

Abstract: A method for defining a perpendicular magnetic head is provided. The method includes forming a portion of the read and write head including depositing a sensor film on a surface only over a region of the read head to form a sensor; depositing a full-film shaping pole layer over the write head; defining a track width of the sensor; patterning a photoresist to define a pole tip of the write head including write track width and flare position, and at the same time to define a back edge of the sensor; removing material of the sensor and pole tip from the areas not covered by the photoresist; completing the fabrication of the write and read head layers; and lapping the write pole concurrently with the sensor to define the flare position of the pole tip and to define a sensor height with accurate positioning of write head flare.

Abstract: A current perpendicular to plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor having a free layer that is magnetically coupled with a magnetic shield, thereby providing the free layer with a large effective flux guide. Sensor performance is improved by virtually eliminating demagnetization fields at the back edge of the sensor. The free layer can be magnetically connected with the shield by a magnetic coupling layer or shunt structure that is disposed between the free layer and the shield behind the capping layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic write head having a conformal wrap around trailing shield. The write head includes a write pole that can be configured with a trapezoidal shape as viewed from the Air Bearing Surface (ABS) and which includes a wrap around trailing magnetic shield. The magnetic shield has a trailing portion that is separated from the leading edge of the write pole by a non-magnetic trailing gap, and has side shield portions that are separated from first and second side portions of the write pole by first and second non-magnetic side gaps. The magnetic shield can be configured with notches at either side of the trailing portion of magnetic shield. These notches can extend in the trailing direction by a distance that is preferably ¼ to 1 times the trailing gap thickness. The width of the straight, trailing portion of the shield is preferable ½ to 1 times of the main pole width.

Abstract: Write elements are discussed having a write pole and an associated trailing shield. A leading side of the trailing shield faces a trailing side of the write pole. The leading side of the trailing shield has a shape such that a center portion of the leading side has less of a separation from the trailing side of the write pole than track edge portions of the leading side of the trailing shield. An exemplary shape the leading side of the trailing shield may be a convex shape when viewed from the ABS. The shape of the leading side of the trailing shield causes the trailing shield to shunt less of the magnetic field from the trailing side of the write pole at the track edges so that the written transition at the track edge will not lag behind the written transition at the track center allowing for a straighter transition.

Abstract: A method for constructing a magnetic write head using an electrical lapping guide to carefully control critical dimensions during a lapping operation used to define an air bearing surface. The lapping guide is photolithograhically patterned in a common photolithographic step with another write head structure so that special relation between the lapping guide and critical dimensions of the write head structure can be carefully maintained. The electrical lapping guide can be patterned in a common photolithographic step as the write pole so that the location of the flare point can be carefully controlled with respect to the location of the lapping guide. A stitched flare structure can also be built together with the electrical lapping guide, then a self-aligned shield can be further built over this stitched flare structure so that both flare point and shield throat can be controlled tightly together by this electrical lapping guide during lapping process.

Abstract: In a CPP MR device such as a tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) device, shoulders that have a magnetic moment that is matched to the magnetic moments of the free layer extend between the free layer and the S2 shield to provide an electrical path from one shoulder, through the shield, to the other shoulder for dissipating edge charges. Thus, a CPP MR device may include a seed stack, a pinned stack on the seed stack, and a tunnel barrier on the pinned stack. A free stack may be on the tunnel barrier, and the free stack can include a free sublayer separated from a magnetic shield and a path for dissipating edge charges in the free stack through the magnetic shield.

Abstract: A multi-step process for notching the P1 pole of the write head element of a magnetic head. In a first step following the fabrication of the P2 pole tip, a layer of protective material is deposited on the approximately vertical side surfaces of the P2 pole tip. Thereafter, a first ion milling step, utilizing a species such as argon, is performed to mill through the write gap layer and to notch into the P1 pole layer therebelow. The removal of redeposited material from the side surfaces of the P2 pole tip is thereafter accomplished and the protective material formed on the side surfaces of the P2 pole tip protects the P2 pole tip during the redeposition clean up step. Thereafter, the protective material is removed from the side surfaces of the P2 pole tip, and a second ion milling step is performed to further notch the P1 pole material.

Abstract: A magnetic read/write head is produced with an insert layer between the substrate and the magnetic transducer. The insert layer has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the substrate, which reduces the temperature pole tip recession (T-PTR) of the head because the insert layer is an intervening layer between the substrate and magnetic transducer. The insert layer is produced by plating, e.g., an Invar layer over the substrate prior to fabricating the magnetic transducer. The Invar layer is annealed and the structure planarized prior to depositing a non-magnetic gap layer followed by the fabrication of the magnetic transducer.

Abstract: In a tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) device, free stack sublayers are separated by an intermediate spacer layer that serves to ensure a uniform circumferential magnetization in the free stack, counterbalancing orange-peel coupling by antiferromagnetic exchange coupling. On top of the upper free stack sublayer a thin upper antiferromagnetic layer may be formed to act as a hard bias layer and suppress side reading. The thickness of the upper AF layer is established to tune sensor sensitivity to external fields as well as to promote greater sensor sensitivity.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a main pole and return poles that are substantially coplanar. The write head includes a main pole, two return poles and a connecting stud that are all formed as a single layer in a single deposition and patterning step. The coplanar main and return poles lie in a plane parallel to the cross-track direction. The two return poles are thus spaced from the main pole in the cross-track direction. The main pole includes a write pole connected to it but lying in a plane spaced in the along-the-track direction from the plane of the main pole. The write head includes a helical coil wrapped around the main pole. The magnetic flux path is from the write pole to the disk recording layer in a data track aligned with the write pole, to the disk underlayer beneath the recording layer, through the underlayer to data tracks spaced cross-track from the data track aligned with the write pole, and back through the return poles.

Abstract: A method for constructing a magnetic medium for use in data recording that has a series of concentric magnetic track portions separated from one another by non-magnetic portions or gap portions. The disk may be manufactured by depositing first and second materials sequentially onto a rotating tube, the first and second materials having different etch rates. The tube may then be sliced into disks and the disks subjected to a reactive ion etch (RIE) to form a disk surface having concentric raised portions separated by concentric recessed portions. A magnetic material can then be deposited. An optional chemical mechanical polishing process can then be performed to planarize the surface, resulting in a planar surface having rings of magnetic material separated by rings of non-magnetic material.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a write pole, a trapezoidal-shaped trailing shield notch, and a metal gap layer between the write pole and notch. The write pole has a trailing edge that has a width substantially defining the track width and that faces the front edge of the notch but is spaced from it by the gap layer. The write head is fabricated by reactive ion beam etching of a thin mask film above the write pole to remove the mask film and widen the opening at the edges of the write pole. The gap layer and notch are deposited into the widened opening above the write pole. The write pole has nonmagnetic filler material, such as alumina, surrounding it except at its trailing edge, where it is in contact with the gap layer, which is formed of a different material than the surrounding filler material.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head that allows the location of the flare point of a write pole to be accurately located relative to the air bearing surface. The method includes the construction of a lapping guide having an edge feature that is easily and accurately located relative to the flare point of the write pole. This edge feature provides an abrupt change in electrical resistance across the lapping guide at a point when lapping should be terminated. And, since this feature can accurately located relative to the flare point, this provides an easily discernable ending point for lapping.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic head for magnetic data recording, that allows a lapping termination point to be easily and accurately determined during lapping. The method includes constructing a lapping guide that has an electrically is formed to provide an abrupt change in resistance at a point where lapping should be terminated. This point of abrupt resistance change is located relative to the flare point of the write pole that the distance between the flare point and the air bearing surface can be accurately maintained. This abrupt resistance change also makes it possible to monitor both a stripe height defining rough lapping and an angled kiss lapping process using a single measurement channel.