U.S. patent application number 15/607604 was filed with the patent office on 2019-09-12 for magnetic recording write head with spin-torque oscillator (sto) and extended seed layer.
The applicant listed for this patent is Western Digital Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to Hongquan Jiang, Quang Le, Jui-Lung Li, Guangli Liu, Xiaoyong Liu.
Application Number | 20190279662 15/607604 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67844565 |
Filed Date | 2019-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190279662 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liu; Xiaoyong ; et
al. |
September 12, 2019 |
MAGNETIC RECORDING WRITE HEAD WITH SPIN-TORQUE OSCILLATOR (STO) AND
EXTENDED SEED LAYER
Abstract
A magnetic recording write head includes a spin torque
oscillator (STO) between the write pole and trailing shield and an
extended seed layer on the write pole beneath the STO. The seed
layer has a cross-track width greater than the width of the STO and
a depth in a direction orthogonal to the disk-facing surface of the
write pole greater than the depth of the STO. A first insulating
refill layer is formed on the sides of the extended seed layer and
STO and a second insulating refill layer in contact with the first
refill layer has a thermal conductivity greater than that of the
first refill layer. When current is passing through the STO the
extended seed layer spreads the current to reduce heating of the
write pole and STO and the bilayer refill material facilitates the
transfer of heat away from the write pole and STO.
Inventors: |
Liu; Xiaoyong; (San Jose,
CA) ; Le; Quang; (San Jose, CA) ; Jiang;
Hongquan; (San Jose, CA) ; Liu; Guangli;
(Pleasanton, CA) ; Li; Jui-Lung; (San Jose,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Western Digital Technologies, Inc. |
San Jose |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
67844565 |
Appl. No.: |
15/607604 |
Filed: |
May 29, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 5/09 20130101; G11B
5/7379 20190501; G11B 2005/0024 20130101; G11B 5/7369 20190501;
G11B 5/3146 20130101; G11B 5/1278 20130101; G11B 5/23 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G11B 5/127 20060101
G11B005/127; G11B 5/09 20060101 G11B005/09; G11B 5/23 20060101
G11B005/23; G11B 5/31 20060101 G11B005/31; G11B 5/73 20060101
G11B005/73 |
Claims
1. A magnetic recording write head for magnetizing data tracks in a
magnetic recording disk, the write head comprising: a substrate
having a substantially planar surface and comprising a write pole,
insulating material on each side of the write pole, and side shield
material on each side of the insulating material, the write pole
having a disk-facing end substantially orthogonal to the substrate
surface and a cross-track width parallel to the substrate surface;
a seed layer on the write pole substrate surface and having a
cross-track width greater than the write pole cross-track width;
and a spin torque oscillator (STO) on the seed layer and having a
cross-track width less than the seed layer cross-track width.
2. The head of claim 1 wherein the seed layer width is less than
the combined width of the write pole and the insulating material on
each side of the write pole.
3. The head of claim 1 wherein the STO width is less than the write
pole width.
4. The head of claim 1 wherein the seed layer has a depth in a
direction substantially orthogonal to the write pole's disk-facing
surface that is greater than the depth of the STO.
5. The head of claim 1 wherein the seed layer has a thickness
directly above the write pole greater than its thickness above the
insulating material at the sides of the write pole.
6. The head of claim 1 wherein the seed layer comprises one or more
films selected from one or more of Cu, Cr, Ta, Ru, Hf, Nb, W and
NiAl.
7. The head of claim 1 further comprising an insulating refill
layer on the side edges of the STO and seed layer.
8. The head of claim 7 wherein the refill layer is a multilayer
comprising a first refill layer in contact with the side edges of
the STO and seed layer and a second refill layer on the first
refill layer, the second refill layer having a thermal conductivity
greater than the thermal conductivity of the first refill
layer.
9. The head of claim 8 wherein the first refill layer comprises a
material selected from a silicon nitride (SiNx), MgO and an
aluminum oxide (AIOx).
10. The head of claim 8 wherein the second refill layer comprises a
material selected from AlN, SiC, Ru and Cr.
11. The head of claim 8 wherein the multilayer refill layer
comprises a bilayer selected from SiNx/AlN and SiNx/Ru.
12. The head of claim 1 wherein the STO comprises a ferromagnetic
free layer on the seed layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer on the
free layer, and a ferromagnetic polarizing layer on the spacer
layer.
13. The head of claim 1 further comprising a trailing shield on the
STO.
14. The head of claim 13 further comprising a capping layer between
the STO and the trailing shield.
15. The head of claim 14 wherein the capping layer is formed of a
nonmagnetic material or a ferromagnetic material.
16. The head of claim 1 further comprising metal or metal alloy
between the write pole and the insulating material on each side of
the write pole.
17. The head of claim 1 further comprising electrical circuitry
connected to the write pole and the STO and wherein the STO is
adapted to provide microwave-assisted magnetic recording to the
recording disk in the presence of current through said electrical
circuitry.
18. A magnetic recording disk drive comprising: the write head of
claim 1; and a rotatable magnetic recording disk having a
perpendicular magnetic recording layer with data tracks.
19. A magnetic recording disk drive write head for magnetizing
regions in data tracks of a magnetic recording layer on a disk, the
write head being formed on a slider having a gas-bearing surface
(GBS) and a substrate surface substantially orthogonal to the GBS,
the write head comprising: a write pole having an end at the GBS
and a surface at the slider substrate surface, the write pole
having a cross-track width parallel to the substrate surface;
insulating material regions on each side of the write pole at the
slider substrate surface; a seed layer on the write pole substrate
surface and having a cross-track width greater than the write pole
cross-track width and less than the cross-track spacing of the
insulating material regions and a depth in a direction
substantially orthogonal to the GBS; a spin torque oscillator (STO)
on the seed layer and having a cross-track width less than the
write pole cross-track width and a depth in a direction
substantially orthogonal to the GBS less than the depth of the seed
layer; a first insulating refill layer on the slider substrate
surface and in contact with the side edges of the STO and seed
layer; a second refill layer on the first refill layer, the second
refill layer having a thermal conductivity greater than the thermal
conductivity of the first refill layer; and a trailing shield on
the STO and refill layers.
20. The head of claim 19 wherein the seed layer comprises one or
more films selected from one or more of Cu, Cr, Ta, Ru, Hf, Nb, W
and NiAl.
21. The head of claim 19 wherein the first refill layer comprises a
material selected from a silicon nitride (SiNx), MgO and an
aluminum oxide (AIOx), and the second refill layer comprises a
material selected from AlN, SiC, Ru and Cr.
22. The head of claim 19 further comprising metal or metal alloy
regions on each side of the write pole between the write pole and
the insulating material regions.
23. The head of claim 19 further comprising a capping layer between
the STO and the trailing shield wherein the trailing shield is
directly on the capping layer.
24. The head of claim 19 further comprising electrical circuitry
connected to the write pole and the STO and wherein the STO is
adapted to provide microwave-assisted magnetic recording to the
recording disk in the presence of current through said electrical
circuitry.
25. A magnetic recording disk drive comprising: the write head of
claim 1; and a rotatable magnetic recording disk having a
perpendicular magnetic recording layer with data tracks.
26. A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording write head, the
write head including a substrate having a substantially planar
surface and a write pole, the write pole having a disk-facing end
substantially orthogonal to the substrate surface and a cross-track
width parallel to the substrate surface, the method comprising:
forming a seed layer on the write pole substrate surface, wherein
the seed layer has a cross-track width greater than the write pole
cross-track width; and forming a spin torque oscillator (STO) on
the seed layer, the STO having a cross-track width less than the
seed layer cross-track width.
Description
BACKGROUND
Field of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates generally to magnetic recording
systems, and more particularly to a magnetic recording system with
a spin-torque oscillator (STO) incorporated into the write
head.
Description of the Related Art
[0002] Perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) in magnetic recording
hard disk drives, wherein the recorded bits are stored in a
perpendicular or out-of-plane orientation in the magnetic recording
layer of the disk, allows for ultra-high recording density, i.e.,
the areal density of the recorded bits on the disk. However, an
increase in recording density requires a corresponding reduction in
the size of the magnetic grains in the magnetic recording layer to
achieve sufficient medium signal-to-noise ratio. As the size of the
magnetic grains is reduced, the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of
the magnetic grains must be increased to maintain adequate thermal
stability. Simultaneously, the magnetic write field from the write
head has to exceed the coercivity of the magnetic recording layer
to achieve saturation digital recording, resulting in a conflicted
limitation on the anisotropy of the magnetic grains.
[0003] PMR systems have been proposed that use a spin-torque
oscillator (STO) incorporated into the disk drive's conventional
write head. DC current, with a current density J above a critical
value J.sub.C, is applied to the STO across the write pole and the
trailing shield of the write head to cause a ferromagnetic layer in
the STO to generate a high frequency oscillatory auxiliary magnetic
field.
[0004] In one type of PMR write head with an incorporated STO a
ferromagnetic free layer or field generation layer (FGL) in the STO
generates an oscillatory auxiliary magnetic field to the magnetic
grains of the recording layer. The auxiliary field may have a
frequency close to the resonance frequency of the magnetic grains
in the recording layer to facilitate the switching of the
magnetization of the grains at lower write fields from the
conventional write head than would otherwise be possible without
assisted recording. Conversely, MAMR may be used to increase the
coercivity of the magnetic recording layer above that which could
be written to by a conventional PMR write head alone. The increase
in coercivity allows for a reduction in the size of the magnetic
grains and thus a corresponding increase in recording density. This
type of system is sometimes referred to as microwave-assisted
magnetic recording (MAMR). MAMR systems are described by J. G. Zhu
et al., "Microwave Assisted Magnetic Recording", IEEE Transactions
on Magnetics, Vol. 44, No. 1, January 2008, pp. 125-131; and in
U.S. Pat. No. 7,982,996 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,970,996 B2, both
assigned to the same assignee as this application.
[0005] In one proposed MAMR system, the STO is located between the
write pole and the trailing magnetic shield of the write head. The
STO electrical circuitry is connected to either separate
electrodes, or to the write pole and trailing shield which function
as the electrodes. The STO is a multilayer film stack made up of
two or more ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic
electrically-conducting spacer layer. One of the ferromagnetic
layers, called the field generation layer (FGL) or free layer, is
designed to have its magnetization orientation oscillate or precess
in the presence of STO current perpendicular to the film planes.
Another ferromagnetic layer, the polarizer or spin-polarizing layer
(SPL), is designed to supply spin-polarized electrons to the free
layer in the presence of the STO current. The STO electrical
circuitry supplies DC current to the STO. The electrons become spin
polarized by the polarizer, which creates the spin transfer torque
on the magnetization of the free layer. This destabilizes the
static equilibrium of the free layer's magnetization orientation,
causing it to undergo sustained oscillation. If the oscillation
frequency is near the resonance frequency of the magnetic grains in
the recording layer, the switching of the magnetization of the
grains will occur at a lower write field from the conventional
write head.
[0006] In a PMR system with a STO incorporated into the disk
drive's conventional write head, even if the oscillatory auxiliary
magnetic field does not provide microwave assistance to writing, a
DC field component in the gap between the trailing shield and the
write pole due to switching of the magnetization will assist
writing by the conventional write head.
SUMMARY
[0007] A problem associated with a write head with an incorporated
STO is that the high current density required to cause oscillation
or switching of the magnetization in the STO introduces strong
heating of the write pole material and the materials making up the
STO. This can increase oxidation of these materials, which leads to
corrosion and thus poor reliability of the write head.
[0008] In embodiments of this invention an extended seed layer is
located below the STO. The seed layer is formed on the write pole
and has a width in the cross-track direction greater than the width
of the STO that is formed on the seed layer. The extended seed
layer may also have a depth in a direction orthogonal to the
disk-facing surface of the write pole that is greater than the
depth of the STO. The seed layer extends beyond the width and depth
dimensions of the STO. In this manner it spreads the current that
passes between the write pole and the trailing shield and thus acts
to reduce heating of the write pole and STO.
[0009] In embodiments of this invention a multilayered insulating
refill layer includes a first insulating refill layer formed on the
sides of the extended seed layer and the STO and a second
insulating refill layer in contact with the first insulating refill
layer. The second refill layer has a thermal conductivity greater
than the thermal conductivity of the first refill layer. The
bilayer refill material with the high thermal conductivity material
facilitates the transfer of heat away from the write pole and STO
when current is passing through the STO.
[0010] For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of
the present invention, reference should be made to the following
detailed description taken together with the accompanying
figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional head/disk
assembly of a hard disk drive with the cover removed that may
function as a microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) disk
drive.
[0012] FIG. 2A is a side sectional view of a perpendicular write
head with an incorporated spin-torque oscillator (STO) as proposed
in the prior art, a read head and a recording disk taken through a
central plane that intersects a data track on the disk.
[0013] FIG. 2B is a view of the read/write head of FIG. 2A as seen
from the disk.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a microwave-assisted
magnetic recording (MAMR) write head with a spin-torque oscillator
(STO) and a section of a perpendicular recording disk for
illustrating the general operation of a MAMR write head as proposed
in the prior art.
[0015] FIG. 4A is a view of the gas-bearing surface (GBS) of a
write head according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 4B is a sectional view of a plane orthogonal to the GBS
showing the back end of the write head according to an embodiment
of the invention.
[0017] FIGS. 5A-5F are sectional views illustrating the process for
making the write head with extended seed layer below the STO
according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional head/disk
assembly of a hard disk drive with the cover removed that may
function as a microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) disk
drive. The disk drive 10 includes a rigid base 12 supporting a
spindle 14 that supports a stack of disks, including top disk 16.
The spindle 14 is rotated by a spindle motor (not shown) for
rotating the disks in the direction shown by curved arrow on disk
16. The hard disk drive 10 has at least one load beam assembly 20
having an integrated lead suspension (ILS) or flexure 30 with an
array 32 of electrically conductive interconnect traces or lines.
The load beam assemblies 20 are attached to rigid arms 22 connected
to an E-shaped support structure, sometimes called an E-block 24.
Each flexure 30 is attached to a gas-bearing slider 28. A magnetic
recording read/write head 29 is located at the end or trailing
surface of slider 28. In embodiments of this invention the write
head 29 will incorporate a spin-torque oscillator (STO) (not
shown). The flexure 30 enables the slider 28 to "pitch" and "roll"
on a gas-bearing (typically air or helium) generated by the
rotating disk 16. Disk drive 10 also includes a rotary actuator
assembly 40 rotationally mounted to the rigid base 12 at a pivot
point 41. The actuator assembly 40 is a voice coil motor (VCM)
actuator that includes a magnet assembly 42 fixed to base 12 and a
voice coil 43. When energized by control circuitry (not shown) the
voice coil 43 moves and thereby rotates E-block 24 with attached
arms 22 and load beam assemblies 20 to position the read/write
heads 29 to the data tracks on the disks. The trace interconnect
array 32 connects at one end to the read/write head 29 and at its
other end to read/write circuitry contained in an electrical module
or chip 50 secured to a side of the E-block 24. The chip 50
includes a read preamplifier and a write driver circuit.
[0019] FIG. 2A is a side sectional view of a perpendicular magnetic
recording write head with an incorporated STO as proposed in the
prior art, a read head and a recording disk taken through a central
plane that intersects a data track on the disk. As shown in FIG.
2A, a "dual-layer" disk 16 includes a perpendicular magnetic data
recording layer (RL) 17 on a "soft" or relatively low-coercivity
magnetically permeable underlayer (SUL) 19 formed on the disk
substrate 13. The read/write head 29 is formed on slider 28 and
includes read head 29a and write head 29b. Read head 29a includes a
magnetoresistive (MR) read element or sensor 181 located between
two magnetic shields S1, S2. The write head 29b is a single write
pole type of perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) write head and
includes a yoke structure with main pole 134, write pole 140, first
flux return pole 135, second flux return pole 136, trailing
magnetic shield 170, STO 190 between write pole 140 and trailing
shield 170, and yoke studs 137, 138 connecting the main pole and
return poles 135, 136 respectively. The write head 29b also
includes a thin film coil 139a, 139b shown in section around main
pole 134. The write coil 139a, 139b is a helical coil wrapped
around main pole 134, but the write coil may also be a conventional
dual "pancake" coil in which all the coil sections are in
substantially the same plane and wrapped around the yoke. A flared
write pole (WP) 140 is part of the main pole 134 and has a flared
portion 141 and a pole tip 142 with an end 143 that faces the outer
surface of disk 16. Write current through coil 139a, 139b induces a
magnetic field (shown by dashed line 160) from the WP 140 that
passes through the RL 17 (to magnetize the region of the RL 17
beneath the WP 140), through the flux return path provided by the
SUL 19, and back to the ends 35a, 36a of return poles 135, 136,
respectively.
[0020] The read/write head 29 is typically formed as a series of
thin films deposited on a trailing surface 21 of gas-bearing slider
28 that has its gas-bearing surface (GBS) supported above the
surface of disk 16. The MR read head 29a is comprised of MR sensor
181 located between MR shields S1 and S2 and is deposited on the
trailing end 21 of the slider 28 prior to the deposition of the
layers making up the write head 29b. In FIG. 2A, the disk 16 moves
past the write head 29b in the direction indicated by arrow 165, so
the portion of slider 28 that supports the read head 29a and write
head 29b is often called the slider "trailing" end, and the surface
21 perpendicular to the slider GBS on which the write head 29b is
located is often called the slider "trailing" surface.
[0021] The RL 17 is illustrated with perpendicularly recorded or
magnetized regions, with adjacent regions having opposite
magnetization directions, as represented by the arrows. The
magnetic transitions between adjacent oppositely-directed
magnetized regions are detectable by the MR sensor 181 as the
recorded bits.
[0022] FIG. 2A also illustrates a trailing shield (TS) 170 spaced
from WP 140. The TS 170 is formed of ferromagnetic material. The
STO 190 is located between WP 140 and TS 170. The STO 190 includes
a ferromagnetic layer 192 whose magnetization precesses in the
presence of DC current from electrical circuitry (not shown)
connected to the WP 140 and the TS 170. A seed layer (not shown) is
typically located between the WP 140 and the STO 190 and a capping
layer (not shown) may be located between STO 190 and TS 170.
[0023] FIG. 2B illustrates the read/write head 29 as seen from the
disk 16. The GBS is the recording-layer-facing surface of the
slider 28 that faces the disk 16 (FIG. 2A) and is shown without the
thin protective overcoat typically present in an actual slider. The
recording-layer-facing surface shall mean the surface of the slider
28 that is covered with a thin protective overcoat, the actual
outer surface of the slider if there is no overcoat, or the outer
surface of the overcoat. The phrase "substantially at the
recording-layer-facing surface" shall mean actually at the surface
or slightly recessed from the surface. The disk 16 (FIG. 2A) moves
relative to the read/write head 29 in the direction 165, which is
called the along-the-track direction. The direction perpendicular
to direction 165 and parallel to the plane of the GBS is called the
cross-track direction. The width of the end 143 of WP tip 142 in
the cross-track direction substantially defines the track-width
(TW) of the data tracks in the RL 17 (FIG. 2A). The main pole 134
is shown with dashed lines because it is recessed from the GBS (see
FIG. 2A).
[0024] The portions identified as 153, 155 on opposite ends of TS
170 are side shields that together with TS 170 form a wraparound
shield (WAS) that generally surrounds the WP tip 142. The shields
170, 153, 155 all have ends substantially at the
recording-layer-facing surface. The shields 170, 153, 155 are
formed as a single-piece structure to form the WAS that
substantially surrounds the WP tip 142 and are thus formed of the
same material, typically a NiFe, CoFe or NiFeCo alloy, so that they
have the same alloy composition. The side shields 153, 155 are
separated from WP tip 142 by nonmagnetic gap material. The STO 190
is located between the WP tip 142 and the TS 170. The WAS alters
the angle of the write field and improves the write field gradient
at the point of writing, and also shields the writing field at
regions of the RL away from the track being written. The WAS is
shown as connected to the return pole 136. However, the WAS may be
a "floating" WAS shield not connected to either the return pole 136
or other portions of the yoke by flux-conducting material. Also,
instead of a WAS, the write head 29b may have separate side shields
not connected to the TS 170.
[0025] The general operation of a write head with a spin-torque
oscillator (STO) for MAMR will be explained with the side sectional
view of FIG. 3. The WP 140 functions as a first electrode and is
formed of a ferromagnetic material and has a magnetization m.sub.w.
The TS 170 functions as the second electrode and may be formed of a
ferromagnetic material. The STO 190 includes field generation layer
(FGL) or free layer 106, spin polarizer or polarizing layer 180 and
nonmagnetic spacer layer 108 between free layer 106 and polarizing
layer 180. The polarizing layer 180 has a magnetization m.sub.p.
The nonmagnetic spacer layer 108 is typically formed of Cu, but may
also be formed of other materials like Au or Ag. A nonmagnetic
electrically-conducting seed layer 179 for promoting the proper
crystalline growth of free layer 106 is located between WP 140 and
free layer 106. The seed layer 179 may be one or more films
selected from one or more of Cu, Cr, Ta, Ru, Hf, Nb, W and NiAl,
but is preferably a multilayer like a Cr/Ta/Ru or Cu/Ta/Ru
multilayer. A nonmagnetic capping layer 185 is located between
polarizing layer 180 and the TS 170. The polarizing layer 180 may
be formed of a magnetic material like CoFe, and the capping layer
185 may be formed of a layer or multilayer of metals or metal
alloys like Ru, Ir, Ta and Ti.
[0026] The STO 190 electrical circuitry is connected between both
electrodes and during writing provides DC current I.sub.STO between
the WP 140 and the TS 170. The electron flow, by convention, is in
the opposite direction from the WP 140 to the TS 170. The
polarizing layer 180 supplies spin-polarized electrons for the STO
190. The STO's ferromagnetic free layer 106 has an edge
substantially at the GBS and has its magnetization (m.sub.f) free
to rotate.
[0027] In operation of the STO 190, DC current (I.sub.STO), with a
current density J above a critical value J.sub.C, is applied across
the WP 140 and the TS 170. The flow of electrons is from the TS 170
to polarizing layer 180, where spin-polarized electrons are
generated, to free layer 106, seed layer 179 and WP 140. The
spin-polarized electrons apply a spin torque on the magnetization
m.sub.f of the free layer 106. This induces an oscillation or
precessional motion of the magnetization m.sub.f of the free layer
106. The free layer magnetization m.sub.f makes an angle .psi. with
the X-Y plane and has a component in the X-Y plane that rotates at
an azimuthal angle about the Z-axis with a certain frequency f. The
rotation of the free layer magnetization about the Z-axis at this
approximately fixed angle .psi. is depicted by the oval 111 which
represents a circular precessional motion of the tip of the
magnetization vector m.sub.f lying in a plane parallel to the X-Y
plane. The frequency of precession depends on the properties and
thicknesses of the materials making up the STO 190, but for a
specific STO the frequency of precession is a function of the
values of both Iso and the write field H.sub.0.
[0028] During writing, the WP 140 applies a write field H.sub.0 to
the magnetic grains in the recording layer (RL) at the same time
the precession of the free layer magnetization m.sub.f from the STO
190 applies an auxiliary ac field at frequency f to the magnetic
grains. This results in microwave-assisted magnetic recording
(MAMR), which improves the switching of the magnetization of the
grains in the RL, with the improvement depending on the frequency f
at which the auxiliary field is applied. As is well known in the
art, ferromagnetic materials absorb energy from AC magnetic fields
more efficiently at or near their ferromagnetic resonance
frequency, as described in Kittel C., "On the Theory of
Ferromagnetic Resonance Absorption", Phys. Rev. 73, pp. 155-161
(1948). Accordingly, the frequency f of the auxiliary magnetic
field from the free layer 106 of the STO 190 is designed to be
preferably within a range near the ferromagnetic resonance of the
magnetic material making up the grains in the RL, e.g., about 30-50
GHz. As a result, the write field required from the conventional
PMR write head can be reduced from what would be required to switch
the magnetization of the grains in the RL without MAMR. Conversely,
MAMR may be used to increase the coercivity of the RL above that
which could be written to by a conventional PMR write head alone.
When write current from the coil is switched, the write field
H.sub.0 is switched from the direction into the RL (as depicted in
FIG. 3) to out of the RL, which results in a switching of
directions of the magnetization m.sub.w, m.sub.p and m.sub.f.
[0029] A film of Ru alloy is the preferred film of multilayered
seed layer 179 to be located immediately adjacent to free layer
106. For free layers with ordered phases such as Heusler alloys, an
additional NiAl alloy film can be inserted adjacent the free layer.
The ferromagnetic free layer 106 may be formed of conventional
ferromagnetic materials such as NiFe and CoFe alloys, but may also
be formed of or comprise a ferromagnetic Heusler alloy, some of
which are known to exhibit high spin-polarization in their bulk
form. Full and half Heusler alloys are intermetallics with
particular composition and crystal structure. Examples of Heusler
alloys include but are not limited to the full Heusler alloys
Co.sub.2MnX (where X is one or more of Al, Sb, Si, Sn, Ga, or Ge)
and Co.sub.2FeZ (where Z is one or more of Ge, Si, Al, Sn or Ga).
Examples also include but are not limited to the half Heusler
alloys NiMnSb, and PtMnSb. A perfect Heusler alloy will have 100%
spin-polarization. However it is possible that in a thin-film form
and at finite temperatures, the band structure of the Heusler alloy
may deviate from its ideal half metal structure and that the spin
polarization will decrease. For example, some alloys may exhibit
chemical site disorder and crystallize in the B2 structure instead
of the L21 Heusler structure. Nevertheless, the spin polarization
may exceed that of conventional ferromagnetic alloys. Thus, as used
herein a "Heusler alloy" shall mean an alloy with a composition
substantially the same as that of a known Heusler alloy, and which
results in enhanced spin polarization compared to conventional
ferromagnetic materials such as NiFe and CoFe alloys.
[0030] A problem associated with a write head with an incorporated
STO is that the high current density required to generate
precession or oscillation in the STO introduces strong heating of
the WP material and the materials making up the STO. This can
increase oxidation of these materials, which leads to corrosion and
thus poor reliability of the write head.
[0031] FIG. 4A is a view of the GBS of a write head according to an
embodiment of the invention and FIG. 4B is a sectional view of a
plane orthogonal to the GBS showing the back end of the write head.
A substrate 200 has a substantially planar surface 201. The
substrate 200 material may be soft magnetic side shield material
202 into which a recess 203 has been formed. The side shield
material is typically a NiFe, CoFe or NiFeCo alloy. The recess 203
is filled with insulating material 204, typically an aluminum oxide
(AlO.sub.x), then a layer of metal or metal alloy 205, which may be
for example Ru, Cr or Ta or their alloys, then the material for WP
206, which is typically CoFe or other high-moment magnetic alloy.
In some embodiments, the metal or metal alloy 205 is omitted and
only insulating material 204 is located between the WP 206 and the
side shield material 202. The formation of the recess 203 and the
filling of it with insulating material 203, metal or metal alloy
204 and WP 206 is by the well-known Damascene process for forming a
WP for a conventional disk drive write head. The substantially
planar substrate surface 201 is thus made up of WP 206, regions of
metal or metal alloy 205 on the sides of WP 206, regions of
insulating material 204 on the sides of metal or metal alloy 205,
and side shield material 202 on the sides of the insulating
material 204.
[0032] In embodiments of this invention an extended seed layer 210
is formed on substrate surface 201, specifically on WP 206. The
seed layer 210 has a cross-track width greater than the cross-track
width of the WP 206, which is typically in the range of about
50-100 nm, but less than the cross-track width defined by the
spacing of the two sides of insulating material 204, so that it is
not in contact with side shield material 202 and is preferably only
in contact with the WP 206 and the metal or metal alloy 205. The
STO 220 is formed on seed layer 210 and preferably has a
cross-track width less than the cross-track width of WP 206. The
STO 220 may be a conventional STO like that described for STO 190
in FIG. 3. The free layer of the STO may be formed on the seed
layer 210, as shown in FIG. 3, or the free layer and polarizing
layer may be reversed, with the polarizing layer formed on the seed
layer 210. An optional capping layer 230 may be formed on STO 220.
Insulating refill material is formed on the substrate surface 201
and on both sides of seed layer 210, STO 220 and capping layer 230.
In this embodiment the refill material is preferably a multilayer,
for example first layer 240 and second layer 242. A trailing shield
250 of ferromagnetic material like a NiFe, CoFe or NiFeCo alloy is
formed over capping layer 230 and the refill material 240, 242, or
directly on STO 220 and refill material 240, 242 if there is no
capping layer.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 4A, the seed layer 210 is wider than the
STO 220 in the cross-track direction, and as shown in FIG. 4B may
also have a depth in a direction orthogonal to the GBS that is
greater than the depth of STO 220. For example, if the WP 206 has a
width of about 60 nm, the seed layer 210 may have a width of about
100 nm and the STO 220 may have a width of about 50 nm. If the STO
220 has a depth of about 50 nm, then the seed layer 210 may have a
depth of about 100 nm. The seed layer 210 is thus an extended seed
layer in that it extends beyond the dimensions of the STO 220. In
this manner the extended seed layer spreads the current that passes
between the WP 206 and the trailing shield 250 and thus acts to
reduce heating of the WP 206 and STO 220. This is depicted by
arrows 260 in FIG. 4B showing current flowing into extended seed
layer 210, through STO 220 and into trailing shield 250.
[0034] The seed layer 210 may be one or more films selected from
one or more of Cu, Cr, Ta, Ru, Hf, Nb, W and NiAl, but is
preferably a multilayer like a Cr/Ta/Ru or Cu/Ta/Ru multilayer. The
seed layer 210 may have a total thickness in the region directly
above the WP 206 in the range of about 2-20 nm.
[0035] The capping layer 230 may be a nonmagnetic layer or
multilayer of metals or metal alloys like Ru, Ir, Ta, as shown in
the MAMR system of FIG. 3.
[0036] Alternatively the capping layer 230 may be a ferromagnetic
material, or the capping layer may be omitted and the ferromagnetic
TS 170 may be in contact with spacer layer 108 and function as the
polarizing layer. In that case, the electron flow is from the WP
140 to the TS 170 where the electrons are reflected and become
spin-polarized. However, even if the frequency f of the auxiliary
magnetic field from the free layer 106 is not near the resonance of
the magnetic material in the grains of the RL, so that there is no
microwave assistance, the magnetization m.sub.f will still provide
a DC field component in the gap between the TS and the WP that will
assist the write field H.sub.0.
[0037] In an embodiment of the invention the insulating refill
material is a first layer 240 and a second layer 242 wherein the
second layer 242 has a higher thermal conductivity that the first
layer. The bilayer refill material thus facilitates the transfer of
heat away from the WP 206 and STO 220, as depicted by arrows 270,
which represent heat transfer. The first layer 240 may be formed of
MgO, a silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x) or alumina, with a thickness in
the range of about 3 to 10 nm. The second layer may be formed of
AlN, SiC or a metal like Ru or Cr. The preferred multilayer refill
material is SiN.sub.x/AlN or SiN.sub.x/Ru.
[0038] FIGS. 5A-5F are sectional views illustrating one process for
making the write head with extended seed layer below the STO
according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 5A seed layer
210 (which may be more than one layer of a multilayered seed
layer), the layers making up STO 220, and capping layer 230 are
sequentially deposited as full films on substrate surface 201. Then
a photoresist (PR) is lithographically patterned on capping layer
230 to have a width that will define the width of seed layer 210 in
the cross-track direction. The PR may also define the depth of seed
layer 210 in a direction orthogonal to the GBS, as shown in FIG.
4B. The structure is then etched by vertical Argon-based ion beam
etching (IBE). In FIG. 5B, after the vertical IBE, alumina is
filled into the etched regions and the PR is removed. Then the
upper surfaces of capping layer 230 and the adjacent alumina fill
regions are smoothed by chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP). In
FIG. 5C a diamond-like carbon (DLC) hard mask layer, a layer of
Durimide.RTM. polyimide coating, and a silicon hard mask (Si HM)
are sequentially deposited. A PR is then lithographically patterned
on the Si HM to have a cross-track width substantially the same as
the cross-track width of STO 220 but less than the cross-track
width of previously-patterned seed layer 210 and preferably less
than the cross-track width of WP 206. The structure of FIG. 5C is
then etched by reactive ion etching (RIE), which results in the
structure of FIG. 5D. In FIG. 5D, Argon-based IBE is performed,
initially vertically and then gradually at angles to vertical,
resulting in the structure of FIG. 5E. In FIG. 5E, the STO 220 and
capping layer 230 have been etched substantially to the same
cross-track width as the cross-track width of the Si HM. By
controlling the etching time and because the IBE is at a more
horizontal angle in the last stage of the IBE, the seed layer 210
is only partially etched, leaving the seed layer 210 with a
cross-track width greater than the cross-track width of the STO
220. As a result of the partial etching, the seed layer 210 is thus
thinner at its outer side edges than at its region directly above
WP 206, as shown in FIG. 5E. In FIG. 5F, the first insulating
refill layer 240, for example SiN.sub.x, is deposited to a
thickness in the range of about 3 to 10 nm over the structure of
FIG. 5E. This results in first insulating refill layer 240 being in
contact with the exposed portions of substrate 201 and with the
side edges of seed layer 210, STO 220 and capping layer 230. Then
the second insulating refill layer 242, for example AlN or Ru, is
deposited to a thickness up to at least the top of capping layer
230. The structure of FIG. 5F is then subjected to CMP to remove
undesired insulating refill material, RIE to remove the Si HM,
Durimide.RTM. and DLC, and additional CMP, followed by deposition
of the trailing shield. This results in the MAMR head with extended
seed layer below the STO as depicted in FIGS. 4A-4B.
[0039] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form
and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention. Accordingly, the disclosed invention is to be
considered merely as illustrative and limited in scope only as
specified in the appended claims.
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