Data reader with tuned microstructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9378760-B2
Application number	US-201414447910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2014
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

A data reader may be configured with a tuned microstructure by initially cooling a substrate to a temperature of 100K or lower and subsequently depositing at least one layer of a data reader on the substrate while the substrate is maintained at the temperature. The tuned microstructure may consist of at least a grain size, grain size distribution, interface quality between multiple layers of the data reader, resistance-area product, and magnetoresistance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
cooling a substrate to a first temperature of 100K or lower;
forming a first layer of a data reader on the substrate while the substrate is actively cooled to maintain the substrate at the first temperature throughout the deposition of the first layer;
depositing a second layer of the data reader on the first layer while the substrate is actively cooled to maintain the substrate at the first temperature;
creating an interface layer on the second layer after the substrate is warmed to a second temperature above 200K; and
depositing a magnetically free layer of the data reader on the substrate while the substrate is actively cooled to maintain the substrate at the first temperature throughout the deposition of the at least one layer to provide a tuned microstructure, the tuned microstructure comprising a grain size, grain size distribution, interface quality between multiple layers of the data reader, resistance-area product, and magnetoresistance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature of the substrate is maintained during the deposition of a fixed magnetization reference layer and/or the magnetically free layer of the data reader.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is maintained at different first and second cryogenic temperatures respectively during deposition of multiple different layers of the data reader.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of the data reader comprises a magnetic layer with an interface surface, the interface surface having a roughness of 0.25-0.35 nm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate houses a plurality of separate data readers concurrently.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is cooled via contact with a cooling gas, the cooling gas isolated to a half of the substrate by a sealed bifurcation in a chamber.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the half of the substrate is opposite a deposition surface where the at least one layer is deposited.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the cooling gas is positioned between the substrate and a chuck, the chuck being separated from the substrate.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the cooling gas is injected into the chamber during deposition of the at least one layer.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the chamber contains multiple different types of deposition means.

11. A method comprising:
cooling a substrate to a cryogenic temperature of 100K or lower in a first chamber;
depositing a first layer of a data reader on the substrate in a second chamber while the substrate is actively cooled to maintain the substrate at the cryogenic temperature to provide a tuned microstructure;
forming a second layer of the data reader atop the first layer while the substrate is actively cooled to maintain the substrate at the cryogenic temperature to provide a smooth surface roughness at an interface between the first and second layers;
creating an interface layer atop the second layer after the substrate has warmed to an elevated temperature of 200K of greater; and
depositing a magnetically free layer atop the interface layer after the substrate is cooled to the cryogenic temperature, the substrate maintained at the cryogenic substrate throughout the deposition of the magnetically free layer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a cryo-cooling gas contacts the second surface of the substrate while each of the plurality of layers of the data reader are deposited.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein a plurality of layers are successively deposited atop one another while the substrate is maintained at the cryogenic temperature, the plurality of layers form a magnetic stack.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein cooling and depositing steps are conducted concurrently.

15. An apparatus comprising a data reader positioned on a substrate and comprising a first layer, second layer, interface layer, and magnetically free layer successively stacked, the first, second, and magnetically free layers each having a tuned microstructure in response to the substrate being actively cooled during deposition to maintain the substrate at an initial temperature of 100K or lower, the interface layer positioned atop the second layer and formed after the substrate is warmed to an elevated temperature of 200K or greater, the tuned microstructure comprising a grain size, grain size distribution, interface quality between multiple layers of the data reader, resistance-area product and magnetoresistance.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic stack lamination is a magnetoresistance element with a fixed magnetization on an air bearing surface (ABS).

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the temperature is 50K or lower.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least one layer of the data reader comprises one of the following: Co, Fe, Ta, CoFe x, CoFe x Ta y , CoFe x B y Ta z ,NiFe x, NiFe x ,Zr y , and NiFe x Nb y .

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• He Qing
• Covington Mark William
• Kief Mark Thomas

Classifications

• G11B5/332

  using thin films (G11B5/372, G11B5/3903 take precedence) · CPC title

• G11B5/3906 Primary

  Details related to the use of magnetic thin film layers or to their effects · CPC title

• G11B5/3163

  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