Lateral spin valve reader with in-plane detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9704515-B2
Application number	US-201514869402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Sep 29, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A lateral spin valve reader includes a detector located proximate to a bearing surface of the reader, a spin injector located away from the bearing surface, and a channel layer that substantially extends from the detector to the spin injector. The channel layer and the detector are substantially in a same plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lateral spin valve reader comprising:
a detector located proximate to a bearing surface;
a spin injector located away from the bearing surface;
a channel layer substantially extending from the detector to the spin injector, wherein the channel layer and the detector are substantially in a same plane, and wherein no portion of the channel layer is at the bearing surface, and wherein a thickness of the channel layer is substantially commensurate with a thickness of the detector; and
an insulator between the channel layer and a bottom shield,
wherein a spacing between the bottom shield and a top shield at the bearing surface comprises only a sum of the thickness of the detector and a thickness of the insulator between the channel layer and the bottom shield.

2. The lateral spin valve reader of claim 1 and wherein the spin injector is positioned above the channel layer.

3. The lateral spin valve reader of claim 1 and wherein the spin injector is positioned below the channel layer.

4. The lateral spin valve reader of claim 1 and further comprising a two-terminal configuration, a three-terminal configuration or a four-terminal configuration.

5. A multi-sensor reader including the lateral spin valve reader of claim 1 .

6. A method of forming a recording head comprising:
forming a bottom shield;
forming a channel layer and a detector in substantially a same plane over the bottom shield with no portion of the detector directly over the channel layer and with no portion of the detector directly under the channel layer; and
forming a spin injector below the channel layer, wherein forming the spin injector below the channel layer comprises depositing the spin injector over a first portion of the bottom shield;
carrying out a material-removal process to reduce a size of the spin injector;
depositing a substantially vertical portion of a first isolation layer on a side of the spin injector; and
depositing a second portion of the bottom shield above the first portion of the bottom shield and beside the substantially vertical portion of the first insolation layer such that the spin injector, the substantially vertical portion of the first isolation layer and the second portion of the bottom shield are above the first portion of the bottom shield and such that the substantially vertical portion of the first isolation layer is between the second portion of the bottom shield and the spin injector.

7. The method of claim 6 and further comprising:
depositing a second portion of the first isolation layer above the second portion of the bottom shield; and
depositing a chemical-mechanic polishing (CMP) stop layer on the second portion of the first isolation layer.

8. The method of claim 7 and further comprising carrying out a CMP process to reduce a height of the spin injector such that, a top surface of the spin injector and a top surface of the CMP stop layer are substantially coplanar.

9. The method of claim 8 and further comprising depositing the channel layer over the spin injector and the isolation layer.

10. The method of claim 9 and further comprising:
depositing a second isolation layer above the channel layer; and
depositing a CMP stop layer on the second isolation layer.

11. The method of claim 10 and further comprising carrying out a milling process to form a space beside the channel layer.

12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising depositing a barrier and depositing a free layer in the space beside the channel layer such that the free layer and the channel layer are in substantially the same plane.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Deen David A
• Colak Levent
• Boonstra Thomas Roy

Classifications

• G11B5/3912 Primary

  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

• G11B5/3958

  the active elements being arranged in a single plane, e.g. "matrix" disposition · CPC title

• G11B5/1272

  Assembling or shaping of elements (G11B5/1278 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G11B5/3932

  Magnetic biasing films · CPC title

• G11B5/3906

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