Read sensors of the cpp type having nitrogenated hard bias layers and method of making the same

Abstract

A read sensor of the current-perpendicular-to-the-planes (CPP) type includes a sensor stack structure formed in a central region between first and second shield layers which serve as leads for the read sensor; insulator layers formed in side regions adjacent the central region; seed layer structures formed over the insulator layers in the side regions; and hard bias layers formed over the seed layer structures in the side regions. The hard bias layers are made of a nitrogenated cobalt-based alloy, such as nitrogenated cobalt-platinum (CoPt). Suitable if not exemplary coercivity and squareness properties are exhibited using the nitrogenated cobalt-based alloy. The hard bias layers may be formed by performing an ion beam deposition of cobalt-based materials using a sputtering gas (e.g. xenon) and nitrogen as a reactive gas.