Title :
Fabrication and Recording Study of All-Metal Dual-Spin-Valve CPP Read Heads
Author :
Childress, J.R. ; Carey, M.J. ; Cyrille, M.-C. ; Carey, K. ; Smith, Neil ; Katine, J.A. ; Boone, T.D. ; Driskill-Smith, A.A.G. ; Maat, S. ; Mackay, K. ; Tsang, Ching H.
Author_Institution :
Hitachi Global Storage Technol., San Jose, CA
Abstract :
Magnetic recording read heads have been fabricated and tested using a dual-spin-valve (dual-SV) current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor stack. Thin IrMn antiferromagnetic layers are used for top- and bottom-pinned layers, resulting in a total sensor stack height of 50 nm. Operational read heads with physical sensor trackwidths ranging from 60 to 30 nm have been achieved. Successful readback testing is obtained using perpendicular recording media, with observed magnetic read widths as low as 46 nm
Keywords :
antiferromagnetic materials; galvanomagnetic effects; giant magnetoresistance; magnetic heads; magnetic sensors; perpendicular magnetic recording; spin valves; 30 to 60 nm; IrMn; antiferromagnetic layers; current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistive sensor; dual spin valve; magnetic recording read heads; perpendicular recording media; readback testing; sensor stack; Antiferromagnetic materials; Fabrication; Giant magnetoresistance; Magnetic heads; Magnetic recording; Magnetic sensors; Perpendicular magnetic recording; Sensor phenomena and characterization; Testing; Tunneling magnetoresistance; Current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) giant magnetoresistive (GMR) read heads; dual spin-valve; magnetic recording;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMAG.2006.878815
