Abstract: Provided is an in-line film-forming apparatus capable of opening and closing a gate valve at a high speed while preventing the occurrence of vibration due to the opening and closing of the gate valve. In the in-line film-forming apparatus, immediately before a piston (114) in a cylinder (115) reaches an end in one direction, a second on-off valve (117a) is completely closed and air is exhausted only by a second flow rate-adjusting valve (117b). Immediately before the piston (114) in the cylinder (115) reaches an end in the other direction, a first on-off valve (116a) is completely closed and air is exhausted only by a first flow rate-adjusting valve (116b). In this way, it is possible to reduce impact due to the contact between the end of the cylinder (115) and the piston (114) and prevent the occurrence of vibration.

Abstract: Microspheres, populations of microspheres, and methods for forming microspheres are provided. One microsphere configured to exhibit fluorescent and magnetic properties includes a core microsphere and a magnetic material coupled to a surface of the core microsphere. About 50% or less of the surface of the core microsphere is covered by the magnetic material. The microsphere also includes a polymer layer surrounding the magnetic material and the core microsphere. One population of microspheres configured to exhibit fluorescent and magnetic properties includes two or more subsets of microspheres. The two or more subsets of microspheres are configured to exhibit different fluorescent and/or magnetic properties. Individual microspheres in the two or more subsets are configured as described above.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic sheet for use in a radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna, an RFID antenna including the magnetic sheet, and a method of manufacturing the magnetic sheet, in which the magnetic sheet includes an amorphous alloy selected from the group consisting of Fe—Si—B, Fe—Si—B—Cu—Nb, Fe—Zr—B and Co—Fe—Si—B. The magnetic sheet is made by laminating amorphous alloy ribbons made of an amorphous alloy between magnetic sheet layers formed of alloy powder including at least one amorphous alloy and then compression-molding the amorphous alloy ribbons, to thereby control microcrack of the amorphous alloy ribbons and enhance characteristic of an end-product. The magnetic sheet is also thin, and has an excellent magnetic permeability, and a simple manufacturing process.

Abstract: A recording medium having a substrate, a first soft magnetic underlayer, a second soft magnetic underlayer and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer without a spacer layer between the first and second soft magnetic underlayers is disclosed.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk including a magnetic layer, a protecting layer and a lubricating layer on a substrate, the lubricating layer is formed by a self assembly monolayer. A material of the self assembly monolayer is a hydrocarbon-based silane agent or a partial fluorinated hydrocarbon-based silane agent. The magnetic layer and the protecting layer (P) are sequentially formed on the substrate, and then the substrate on which the magnetic layer and the protecting layer (P) are formed is immersed in a solution containing the hydrocarbon-based silane agent or the partial fluorinated hydrocarbon-based silane agent, and thus a lubricating layer (L) is formed on the protecting layer (P).

Abstract: A stack including a crystallographic orientation interlayer, a magnetic zero layer disposed on the interlayer, and a magnetic recording layer disposed on the magnetic zero layer is disclosed. The magnetic zero layer is non-magnetic or has a saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) less than about 100 emu/cc. The magnetic zero layer and the magnetic layer include grains surrounded by a non-magnetic segregant. The magnetic zero layer provides a coherent interface between the interlayer and the magnetic layer with a lattice mismatch less than about 4%.

Abstract: Soft magnetic film fabricated with preferred uniaxial anisotropy for perpendicular recording. One type of cathode design has a field direction that is parallel to the direction of the Hex of the second SUL with a magnetically-pinned first SUL. In addition, SUL structures having low AP exchange energy also are disclosed. The SUL structure combines the cathode field direction of the SUL2 with the pinned SUL1. The SUL1 is magnetically pinned to the pinning layer and the pinning direction is parallel to the direction of the cathode field applied during deposition of the SUL1. High Hc ferro-magnetic materials may be deposited onto a heated substrate that is magnetized along the radial direction by the cathode field. The pinning field may be higher than the cathode field, indicating that the cathode field during deposition of the SUL2 cannot disturb the magnetic state of the SUL1 pinned to pinning layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic disk comprises forming, on a base, a film of a first ground layer made of Ru or a Ru alloy at a first pressure, forming, on the first ground layer, a film of a second ground layer made of Ru or a Ru alloy at a second pressure higher than a first pressure, forming, on the second ground layer, a film of a third ground layer having Ru or a Ru alloy as a main component and an oxide as an accessory component at a third pressure higher than the first pressure and lower than the second pressure, and forming, on a layer above the third ground layer, a film of a granular magnetic layer in which a non-magnetic substance having an oxide is segregated around magnetic particles having an CoCrPt alloy grown in a columnar shape to form a grain boundary.

Abstract: An MR element includes a stack, being a pillar or trapezoidal stack, including first and second magnetic layers in which a relative angle formed by magnetization directions changes according to an external magnetic field, and a spacer layer that is positioned between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and that is provided with a main spacer layer that is composed of gallium oxide, zinc oxide or magnesium oxide as a primary component, wherein, one part of side surfaces of the stack forms a part of an air bearing surface; and a cover layer that covers at least another part of the side surfaces of the stack and that is composed of gallium oxide as a primary component.

Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium, which is capable of coping with the much higher recording density.

Abstract: An electric field sensor is obtained by directly forming an electrooptical film of Fabry-Perot resonator structure on a polished surface at a tip of an optical fiber by an aerosol deposition method.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a main pole having a leading side and a trailing side relative to a downtrack direction, a side gap layer positioned adjacent to the main pole in a crosstrack direction, and a side shield layer positioned adjacent the side gap layer in a crosstrack direction. The downtrack direction is in a direction of medium travel relative to the main pole, the crosstrack direction is perpendicular to the downtrack direction, the side gap layer is characterized by having a groove therein in the downtrack direction having the main pole positioned therein, the side shield is characterized by having a groove formed therein in the downtrack direction having the side gap layer positioned therein, the side gap is non-conformal in shape, and a position of the side shield relative to a position of the main pole is characterized as being self-aligned.

Abstract: A large spin-polarized current can be provided. A single crystal MgO layer is grown on an Si single crystal substrate, being lattice-matched. Thereon, a ferromagnetic metal layer is grown. Growth plane of MgO layer formed on (100) plane of Si single crystal substrate is (100) plane. At interface between Si single crystal substrate and MgO layer, Si (100) [110] and MgO (100) [100] directions are parallel. FIG. 2(A) shows Si (100) plane, FIG. 2(B) MgO (100) plane, and FIG. 2(C) the state of these two planes being lattice-matched. Si (100) plane in FIG. 2(A) is constituted by Si atoms 111 alone, while MgO (100) plane in FIG. 2(B) is constituted by Mg atoms 121 and oxygen (O) atoms 122. MgO (100) plane is grown on Si (100) plane, and as shown in FIG. 2(C), Si (100) [110] and MgO (100) [100] directions are parallel at the interface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic sensor that result in improved magnetic bias field to the sensor, improved shield to hard bias spacing and a flatter top shield profile. The method includes a multi-angled deposition of the hard bias structure. After forming the sensor stack a first hard bias layer is deposited at an angle of about 70 degrees relative to horizontal. This is a conformal deposition. Then, a second deposition is performed at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to horizontal. This is a notching deposition, that results in notches being formed adjacent to the sensor stack. Then, a hard bias capping layer is deposited at an angle of about 55 degrees relative to horizontal. This is a leveling deposition that further flattens the surface on which the top shield can be electroplated.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium is disclosed in which each magnetic crystal grain in the magnetic recording layer has a multilayer structure and has a configuration like a truncated cone shape, in which the crystal grain of the final layer deposited in the film surface side at the final stage is smaller than the diameter of the crystal grain in the initial layer deposited on the substrate side at the initial stage. The invention improves S/N (signal output to noise ratio) by enhancing signal output and reducing noises. The medium is produced by a simple manufacturing method suitable for mass production, and provides a medium of high recording density by improving recording resolution.

Abstract: A magnetic film or layer includes a non-hexagonal close pack (non-hcp) structure.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a barrier layer having a crystalline structure, a first magnetic layer above the barrier layer, a magnetic insertion layer above the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer above the magnetic insertion layer, the second magnetic layer having a textured face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. The first magnetic layer comprises a high spin polarization magnetic material having a crystalline structure and a characteristic of crystallization being more similar to the crystalline structure of the barrier layer than a crystalline structure of the second magnetic layer and the magnetic insertion layer comprises a magnetic material having a crystalline structure and a characteristic of crystallization being more similar to the crystalline structure of the second magnetic layer than the crystalline structure of the barrier layer. Additional magnetic head structures and methods of producing magnetic heads are described according to more embodiments.

Abstract: A bit patterned magnetic media design for reducing the amount of magnetic material located in the trenches between topographic features is disclosed. An intermediate non-magnetic layer is deposited on the topography prior to depositing the functional magnetic layer on the topographic substrate features. The non-magnetic layer increases the width of the land regions that will ultimately support the functional magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer also reduces the amount of trench deposition that can occur in the subsequent deposition of the magnetic recording layer. By eliminating most of the magnetic trench material, the amount of magnetic flux and readback interference produced by the trench material is reduced to an acceptable level.

Abstract: An organic-based magnet is formed by molecular layer deposition (MLD) of a first compound and MLD of a second compound. The first or second compound containing a metal-containing compound. The first and second compounds being reactive with each other to form a first layer organic-based magnet. A laminate composite includes a first monolayer including a metal bonded to a magnet forming organic compound. A second monolayer may be in direct contact with the first monolayer. One of the first monolayer and the second monolayer having an induced magnetization when exposed to a magnetic field. A device includes the laminate composite and a nonmagnetic film thereon. A method of making an organic magnet on a substrate in a vacuum chamber includes depositing a first layer of metal-containing compound on the substrate by MLD.

Abstract: Carbon nanotubes with a suspension or colloidal solution of functional nanoparticles and methods for production of carbon nanotubes loaded with functional nanoparticles are provided.

Abstract: A method of making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistive (CPP-GMR) sensor with a confined-current-path (CCP) layer uses an array of self-assembled ferritin protein molecules with inorganic cores to make the CCP layer in the sensor stack. In one embodiment, the ferritin molecules with cores of insulating oxide particles are deposited on an electrically conductive support layer and the ferritin molecules are dissolved, leaving an array of insulating oxide particles. An electrically conducting layer is deposited over the oxide particles and into the regions between the oxide particles to form the CCP layer. In another embodiment, the ferritin molecules with inorganic particles in their cores are deposited on an electrically insulating support layer and the ferritin molecules are dissolved, leaving an array of inorganic particles that function as an etch mask.

Abstract: FePt-based perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) media including an ordering temperature reducing layer between a bottom FePtX magnetic recording layer and a nucleation layer. In one embodiment, an ordering temperature reducing layer of carbon is employed to lower the L10 ordering temperature of a FePtC recording layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium and a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium are provided, in which degradation of wear resistance against a magnetic head and performances of the medium is restrained, and metal dissolving out of the magnetic recording layer and degradation of corrosion resistance due to low coverage of a protective layer are suppressed. The method of manufacturing provides a magnetic recording medium having a convex portion of a magnetic recording layer for recording information and a concave portion without a recording function on a disk substrate. An ALD protective layer is formed on the magnetic recording medium using an ALD method. The magnetic recording medium has a convex portion of a magnetic recording layer for recording information and a concave portion without a recording function on a disk substrate, and has a protective layer formed by an ALD method on the concavo-convex pattern.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes a crystalline seed layer having a pseudo-hcp structure with stacking faults formed above a soft magnetic underlayer, a first interlayer comprising Ru and one of W, Ta, Mo, and Nb formed above the crystalline seed layer, a second interlayer formed above the first interlayer, and a magnetic recording layer formed above the second interlayer. The first interlayer has a W concentration between about 32 at % and 50 at %, Mo in a concentration between about 36 at % and 52 at %, Ta in a concentration between about 20 at % and 30 at %, or Nb in a concentration between about 7 at % and 30 at %. In another embodiment, a system includes a recording medium as described above, a magnetic head for reading from and/or writing to the medium, a head slider for supporting the head, and a control unit coupled to the head.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing magnetic recording media with a high areal recording density, in which there write bleeding during magnetic recording is eliminated by reducing insofar as possible the coercive force and remanent magnetization in areas between magnetic tracks, is provided. The method of manufacture can produce magnetic recording media 10, in which a magnetic layer 3 is provided on at least one surface of a nonmagnetic substrate 1, and a magnetically separated magnetic pattern 3a is formed in this magnetic layer 3; by implanting atoms into the magnetic layer 3 with a uniform distribution in the thickness direction of the magnetic layer 3, and partially rendering nonmagnetic the magnetic layer 3, nonmagnetic portions 5 which magnetically separate the magnetic pattern 3a are formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element having a magnetization pinned layer, a magnetization free layer, and a spacer layer including an insulating layer provided between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetization free layer and current paths penetrating into the insulating layer. A process of forming the spacer layer in the method includes depositing a first metal layer forming the metal paths, depositing a second metal layer on the first metal layer, performing a pretreatment of irradiating the second metal layer with an ion beam or a RF plasma of a rare gas, and converting the second metal layer into the insulating layer by means of supplying an oxidation gas or a nitriding gas.

Abstract: A method for forming magnetic media is provided. The method of forming the magnetic media includes forming a plurality of regions of resist material on a top surface of a substrate which defines a plurality of regions of exposed substrate on the top surface of the substrate between adjacent ones of the plurality of regions of resist material. The method also includes forming magnetic material on the plurality of regions of resist material and the plurality of regions of exposed substrate and depositing material over the magnetic material, the material encapsulating a portion of the magnetic material formed on the plurality of regions of exposed substrate. A magnetic recording medium formed in accordance with the method is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a magnetic recording disk includes a magnetic-film deposition chamber in which a magnetic film for a recording layer is deposited on a substrate; a lubricant-layer preparation chamber in which a lubricant layer is prepared on the substrate in vacuum; and a cleaning chamber in which the substrate is cleaned in vacuum after the magnetic-film deposition in the magnetic-film chamber and before the lubricant-layer preparation in the lubricant-layer chamber. The apparatus may further include a transfer system that transfers the substrate from the cleaning chamber to the lubricant-layer preparation chamber without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to align crystal c-axes in magnetic layers near two opposed junction wall surfaces of a magnetoresistive element so as to be almost perpendicular to the junction wall surfaces. A magnetic sensor stack body has, on sides of opposed junction wall surfaces of a magnetoresistive element, field regions for applying a bias magnetic field to the element. The field region has first and second magnetic layers having magnetic particles having crystal c-axes, the first magnetic layer is disposed adjacent to the junction wall surface in the field region, the crystal c-axes in the first magnetic layer are aligned and oriented along an ABS in a film plane, the second magnetic layer is disposed adjacent to the first magnetic layer in the field region, and the crystal c-axis directions in the second magnetic layer are distributed at random in a plane.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a substrate, a Cr-doped Fe-alloy-containing underlayer containing about 8 to 18 at % Cr and a perpendicular recording magnetic layer, and a process for improving corrosion resistance of the recording medium and for manufacturing the recording medium are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic media for perpendicular magnetic data recording. The method includes depositing a Ru layer in a pure oxygen atmosphere and then further depositing Ru in the presence of oxygen to form a thin pseudo onset layer. The pseudo onset layer can advantageously be depositing in the same deposition chamber and using the same target as that used to deposit the underlying Ru layer. This saves a great deal of manufacturing cost and complexity. The presence of the pseudo onset layer reduces grains size and increases grain separation in a high Ku magnetic layer deposited thereon, thereby increasing signal to noise ratio and decreasing magnetic core width (MCW).

Abstract: A technique for manufacturing hit pattern media is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for manufacturing bit pattern media. The method may comprise forming an intermediate layer comprising a modified region and a first region adjacent to one another, where the modified region and the first region may have at least one different property; depositing magnetic species on the first region of the intermediate layer to form an active region; and depositing non-ferromagnetic species on the modified region of the intermediate layer to form a separator.

Abstract: A laminated write pole layer for a PMR write head is disclosed in which a plurality of “n” magnetic layers and “n?1” non-magnetic spacers are formed in an alternating fashion on a substrate. The non-magnetic spacers promote exchange decoupling or antiferromagnetic coupling between adjacent magnetic layers. Writability is improved when the trailing magnetic layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of other magnetic layers and preferably >25% of the total thickness of the magnetic layers. The thicknesses of the other magnetic layers may be equal or may become progressively smaller with increasing distance from the trailing magnetic layer. In another embodiment, the non-magnetic spacer between the trailing magnetic layer and the nearest magnetic layer is replaced by a magnetic spacer made of a soft magnetic material to promote magnetic coupling and effectively increase the thickness of the trailing magnetic layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having sufficient perpendicular uniaxial magnetic anisotropy energy and a crystal grain size for realizing an areal recording density of one terabit or more per one square centimeter, and excellent in mass productivity, and a manufacturing method of the same are provided. On a substrate, a substrate-temperature control layer, an underlayer and a magnetic recording layer are sequentially formed. The magnetic recording layer is formed by repeating a magnetic layer stacking step N times (N?2), which includes a first step of heating the substrate in a heat process chamber, and a second step of depositing, in a deposition process chamber, the magnetic recording layer constituted of an alloy mainly composed of FePt to which at least one kind of non-magnetic material selected from a group constituted of C and an Si oxide is added.

Abstract: A magnetic stack structure is disclosed. The magnetic stack structure includes two metal layers and a free layer sandwiched by the two metal layers. The thickness of the free layer is 1-30 nm. The thickness of the metal layers are 0.1-20 nm respectively.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording medium (PMRM) includes a first interlayer comprising Ru or a Ru alloy, a second interlayer above the first interlayer comprising Ru or a Ru alloy, and a third interlayer formed between the first interlayer and the second interlayer that reduces an average cluster size of the second interlayer. In another embodiment, a PMRM includes a first interlayer comprising Ru or a Ru alloy, a second interlayer above the first interlayer comprising Ru or a Ru alloy, and a third interlayer formed between the first interlayer and the second interlayer that reduces an average cluster size of the second interlayer. The third interlayer has a thickness of between about 1.0 nm and about 3.0 nm and has a structure selected from a group consisting of: BCC, B2, C11b, L21, and D03. Other PMRMs and methods of fabrication are presented as well.

Abstract: A current-to-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) read sensor with multiple reference layers and associated fabrication methods are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the invention, the multiple reference layers of a CPP tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) read sensor includes a first reference layer formed by a ferromagnetic polycrystalline Co—Fe film, a second reference layer formed by a ferromagnetic substitute-type amorphous Co—Fe—X film where X is Hf, Zr or Y, and a third reference layer formed by a ferromagnetic interstitial-type amorphous Co—Fe—B film. The first reference layer facilitates the CPP TMR read sensor to exhibit high exchange and antiparallel-coupling fields. The second reference layer provides a thermally stable flat surface, thus facilitating the CPP TMR read sensor to exhibit a low ferromagnetic-coupling field. The multiple reference layers may induce spin-dependent scattering, thus facilitating the CPP TMR sensor to exhibit a high TMR coefficient.

Abstract: Aspects include recording media with enhanced areal density through reduction of head media spacing, head keeper spacing, or head to soft underlayer spacing. Such aspects comprise replacing currently non-magnetic components of devices, such as interlayers and overcoats with components and compositions comprising magnetic materials. Other aspects relate to magnetic seed layers deposited within a recording medium. Preferably, these aspects, embodied as methods, systems and/or components thereof reduce effective magnetic spacing without sacrificing physical spacing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for improving perpendicular magnetic recording media. The present invention provides media, and a method of fabricating media in a cost-effective manner, with a reduced ruthenium (Ru) content interlayer structure, while meeting media performance requirements. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium is provided comprising a non-magnetic substrate having a surface, and a layer stack situated on the substrate surface. The layer stack comprises, in overlying sequence from the substrate surface a magnetically soft underlayer; an amorphous or crystalline, non-magnetic seed layer; an interlayer structure for crystallographically orienting a layer of a perpendicular magnetic recording material situated on the underlayer; and at least one crystallographically oriented, magnetically hard, perpendicular magnetic recording layer situated on the interlayer structure.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an article comprising a first magnetic recording layer, the first magnetic recording layer including a granular layer having a first magnetic anisotropy and a multi-layer stack adjacent the granular layer, the multi-layer stack comprising one or more substantially magnetic film layers alternating with one or more polarization conductor layers, wherein the multi-layer stack has a second magnetic anisotropy that is greater than the first magnetic anisotropy.

Abstract: A contact pad includes a first layer of material with a first yield strength and a second layer of material with a second yield strength is laminated to the first layer. A third yield strength of the laminated composite of the first layer and the second layer exceeds the first yield strength and the second yield strength due to the Hall-Petch phenomenon. An overcoat covers an edge of the first layer and the second layer of the contact pad to prevent wear. A method of creating the contact pad or other microelectronic structure includes depositing a first layer of material with a first yield strength on a substrate. A second layer of material with a second yield strength is deposited on the first layer. An edge of the first layer and the second layer is coated with an overcoat material to prevent wear of the first and second layers.

Abstract: A method for depositing uniform and smooth ferromagnetic thin films with high deposition-induced microstructural anisotropy includes a magnetic material deposited in two or more static oblique deposition steps from opposed directions to form a free layer having a high kink Hk, a high energy barrier to thermal reversal, a low critical current in spin-torque switching embodiments, and improved resistance to diffusion of material from adjacent layers in the device. Nonmagnetic layers deposited by the static oblique deposition technique may be used as seed layers for a ferromagnetic free layer or to generate other types of anisotropy determined by the deposition-induced microstructural anisotropy. Additional magnetic or non-magnetic layers may be deposited by conventional methods adjacent to oblique layer to provide magnetic coupling control, reduction of surface roughness, and barriers to diffusion from additional adjacent layers in the device.

Abstract: A CPP-GMR spin valve having a composite spacer layer comprised of at least one metal (M) layer and at least one semiconductor or semi-metal (S) layer is disclosed. The composite spacer may have a M/S, S/M, M/S/M, S/M/S, M/S/M/S/M, or a multilayer (M/S/M)n configuration where n is an integer?1. The pinned layer preferably has an AP2/coupling/AP1 configuration wherein the AP2 portion is a FCC trilayer represented by CoZFe(100-Z)/FeYCo(100-Y)/CoZFe(100-Z) where y is 0 to 60 atomic %, and z is 75 to 100 atomic %. In one embodiment, M is Cu with a thickness from 0.5 to 50 Angstroms and S is ZnO with a thickness of 1 to 50 Angstroms. The S layer may be doped with one or more elements. The dR/R ratio of the spin valve is increased to 10% or greater while maintaining acceptable EM and RA performance.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic disk comprising a granular magnetic recording layer which causes less noise even with a recording capacity thereof of 250 G or more bits per square inch; and a method for manufacturing the same. The magnetic disk according to the present invention comprises: a granular magnetic recording layer (20) which is formed on a disk substrate 10 directly or via an intermediate layer and which has non-magnetic regions between granular columnar particles; and an auxiliary recording layer (22) which is formed on the granular magnetic recording layer 20 and which causes exchange interaction among the granular columnar particles, wherein the auxiliary recording layer (22) contains 0.1 to 3 moles of oxygen.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate; and a recording film formed on the substrate and including a main magnetic film, the main magnetic film where a recording area and a guard area are formed by local ion doping, the guard area having saturation magnetization smaller than saturation magnetization of the recording area. A primary layer is provided at a substrate side of the main magnetic film. A main ingredient of the primary layer is at least one kind of atom selected from a group consisting of Cr, B, Mo, Al, Si, and C.

Abstract: An MR element includes an MR stack disposed between first and second main shield portions, and a pair of side shields disposed on opposite sides of the MR stack in the track width direction. The first main shield portion includes a first exchange coupling shield layer that is exchange-coupled to a first antiferromagnetic layer. The second main shield portion includes a second exchange coupling shield layer that is exchange-coupled to a second antiferromagnetic layer. The MR stack includes a spacer layer, and first and second free layers with the spacer layer therebetween. The direction of magnetization of the first free layer is controlled by the first exchange coupling shield layer. The direction of magnetization of the second free layer is controlled by the second exchange coupling shield layer. Each side shield includes at least one shield-coupling magnetic layer that is in contact with and magnetically coupled to one of the first and second exchange coupling shield layers.

Abstract: A MR sensor is disclosed that has a free layer (FL) with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) which eliminates the need for an adjacent hard bias structure to stabilize free layer magnetization and minimizes shield-FL interactions. In a TMR embodiment, a seed layer, free layer, junction layer, reference layer, and pinning layer are sequentially formed on a bottom shield. After patterning, a conformal insulation layer is formed along the sensor sidewall. Thereafter, a top shield is formed on the insulation layer and includes side shields that are separated from the FL by a narrow read gap. The sensor is scalable to widths <50 nm when PMA is greater than the FL self-demag field. Effective bias field is rather insensitive to sensor aspect ratio which makes tall stripe and narrow width sensors a viable approach for high RA TMR configurations. Side shields may be extended below the seed layer plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a substrate and a seed layer comprising a Ni alloy.

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 magnetoresistive effect element is produced by forming a first magnetic layer, a spacer layer including an insulating layer and a conductive layer which penetrates through the insulating layer and passes a current, on the first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer all of which or part of which is treated with ion, plasma or heat, on the formed spacer layer.