Magnetic element with reduced shield-to-shield spacing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10147447-B2
Application number	US-201615072489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2016
Priority date	Aug 1, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A magnetic stack is disclosed. The magnetic stack includes a magnetically responsive lamination that includes a ferromagnetic free layer, a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) structure, and a spacer layer positioned between the ferromagnetic free layer and the SAF structure. The magnetically responsive lamination is separated from a sensed data bit stored in an adjacent medium by an air bearing surface (ABS). The stack also includes a first antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure coupled to the SAF structure a predetermined offset distance from the ABS, and a second AFM structure that is separated from the first AFM structure by a first shield layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a magnetic stack comprising an air bearing surface (ABS), the method comprising forming the magnetic stack, wherein forming the magnetic stack comprises:
forming a shield layer;
forming an AFM structure proximate the shield layer;
forming an SAF structure proximate the AFM structure, wherein the SAF structure comprises a pinned layer proximate the AFM structure and coupled to the AFM structure;
selectively removing a portion of the pinned layer and AFM structure in a region to expose a portion of the shield layer proximate the region;
depositing shield material in the region, wherein the shield material is coupled to the shield layer to form a unitary shield layer;
depositing pinned layer material on the shield material proximate the pinned layer such that the pinned layer extends into the region; and
forming a magnetically responsive lamination proximate the SAF structure;
wherein the magnetically responsive lamination, pinned layer, and shield layer form the ABS, and further wherein the AFM structure is disposed at a predetermined offset distance from the ABS.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a capping layer proximate the pinned layer prior to selectively removing the portion of the pinned layer and the AFM structure.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising removing a portion of the capping layer prior to depositing the pinned layer material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selectively removing the portion of the pinned layer and AFM structure comprises:
depositing a photo resist layer proximate the SAF structure; and
selectively etching the photo resist layer, pinned layer, and AFM structure in the region to expose the portion of the shield layer proximate the region.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a second AFM structure proximate the shield layer and a second shield layer on the second AFM structure prior to forming the AFM structure, wherein the second shield layer is positioned between the AFM structure and the second AFM structure, and wherein the second AFM structure comprises an AFM layer that is coupled to the shield layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the AFM structure comprises an AFM layer, a first seed layer, and a second seed layer positioned between the AFM layer and the first seed layer, wherein the AFM layer is coupled to the SAF structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SAF structure further comprises a reference layer and a non-magnetic spacer layer positioned between the reference layer and the pinned layer.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an additional shield layer on the magnetically responsive lamination.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SAF structure is formed on the AFM structure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the AFM structure is formed on the shield layer.

11. A method, comprising:
forming a first shield layer;
selectively removing a portion of the first shield layer to form a recess;
forming a first AFM structure in the recess;
forming an SAF structure proximate the first AFM structure, wherein the SAF structure comprises a pinned layer proximate the first AFM structure and coupled to the first AFM structure and the first shield layer;
forming a magnetically responsive lamination proximate the SAF structure;
forming a second AFM structure separated from the first AFM structure by the first shield layer; and
forming a second shield layer proximate the second AFM structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the SAF structure further comprises a reference layer and a non-magnetic spacer layer positioned between the reference layer and the pinned layer.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first AFM structure comprises an AFM layer, a first seed layer, and a second seed layer positioned between the AFM layer and the first seed layer, wherein the AFM layer is coupled to the SAF structure.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the magnetically responsive lamination is separated from a sensed data bit stored in an adjacent medium by an ABS, wherein the first AFM structure is formed in the recess such that it is offset a predetermined distance from the ABS.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the SAF structure further comprises a reference layer and a non-magnetic spacer layer positioned between the reference layer and the pinned layer.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming a third shield layer proximate the magnetically responsive lamination.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the SAF structure is formed on the first AFM structure and the first shield layer.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first AFM structure is formed on the first shield layer in the recess.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming a capping layer on the magnetically responsive lamination.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein selectively removing a portion of the first shield layer comprises ion etching the first shield layer to form the recess.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Singleton Eric Walter
• Ge Zhiguo
• Mckinlay Shaun Eric
• Yi Jae-Young

Classifications

• G11B5/3912

  Arrangements in which the active read-out elements are transducing in association with active magnetic shields, e.g. magnetically coupled shields (G11B5/3916 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G11B5/3932 Primary

  Magnetic biasing films · CPC title

• G11B5/3163 Primary

  Fabrication methods or processes specially adapted for a particular head structure, e.g. using base layers for electroplating, using functional layers for masking, using energy or particle beams for shaping the structure or modifying the properties of the basic layers · CPC title

• G11B5/398

  Specially shaped layers · CPC title