Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

International Business Machines Corporation

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Hua Ai Zeng

Mustafa Pinarbasi

James Mac Freitag

Phong V Chau

Zheng Gao

Howard Gordon Zolla

Patrick Rush Webb

Sangmun Oh

Masahiko Hashimoto

Yingfan Xu

A spin transfer torque (STT) device has a free ferromagnetic layer that includes a Heusler alloy layer and a template layer beneath and in contact with the Heusler alloy layer. The template layer may be a ferromagnetic alloy comprising one or more of Co, Ni and Fe and the element X, where X is selected from one or more of Ta, B, Hf, Zr, W, Nb and Mo. A CoFe nanolayer may be formed below and in contact with the template layer. The STT device may be a spin-torque oscillator (STO), like a STO incorporated into the write head of a magnetic recording disk drive. The STT device may also be a STT in-plane or perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) cell for magnetic random access memory (MRAM). The template layer reduces the critical current density of the STT device.

Spin transfer torque (STT) device with template layer for Heusler alloy magnetic layers

A magnetic read sensor having improved magnetic performance and robustness. The magnetic sensor includes a magnetic free layer and a magnetic pinned layer structure. The magnetic pinned layer structure includes first and second magnetic layers separated from one another by a non-magnetic coupling layer. The second magnetic layer of the magnetic pinned layer structure includes a layer of CoFeBTa, which prevents the diffusion of atoms and also promotes a desired BCC crystalline grain growth. The magnetic free layer structure can also include such a CoFeBTa layer for further prevention of atomic diffusion and further promotion of a desired BCC grain growth.

Magnetic sensor having CoFeBTa in pinned and free layer structures

A method of manufacturing a GMR, TMR or CPP GMR sensor having a smooth interface between magnetic and non-magnetic layers to improve sensor performance by exposing a layer to a low energy ion beam prior to depositing a subsequent layer.

Method of manufacturing high sensitivity spin valve designs with ion beam treatment

A method for improving hard bias properties of layers of a magnetoresistance sensor is disclosed. Properties of the hard bias layer are improved using a seedlayer structure that includes at least a first layer of silicon and a second layer comprising chromium or chromium molybdenum. Further, benefits are achieved when the seedlayer structure includes a layer of tantalum.

Method for improving hard bias properties of layers in a magnetoresistive sensor

An apparatus having improved hard bias properties of layers of a magnetoresistance sensor is disclosed. Properties of the hard bias layer are improved using a seedlayer structure that includes at least a layer of silicon and a layer comprising chromium or chromium molybdenum. Further, benefits are achieved when the seedlayer structure includes a layer of tantalum.

Apparatus having a hard bias seedlayer structure for providing improved properties of a hard bias layer

A top spin valve sensor includes an iridium manganese (IrMn) pinning layer which has been formed by ion beam sputter deposition. The magnetoresistive coefficient of the spin valve sensor is increased by employing an iridium manganese oxide (IrMnO) seed layer between a free layer of the spin valve sensor and a first read gap layer of the read head. The free layer is preferably a nickel iron free film located between first and second cobalt iron (CoFe) free films.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Hua Ai Zeng