公开(公告)号：US09236069B2

公开(公告)日：2016-01-12

申请号：US13853411

申请日：2013-03-29

Applicant: HGST Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Patrick Mesquita Braganca ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Jordan Asher Katine ,  Yang Li ,  Neil Leslie Robertson ,  Neil Smith ,  Petrus Antonius VanDerHeijden ,  Douglas Johnson Werner

IPC: G11B5/39 ,  G11B5/31

CPC classification number: G11B5/398 ,  G11B5/3163 ,  Y10T29/49032

Abstract: A method for making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor structure produces a top electrode that is “self-aligned” on the top of the sensor and with a width less than the sensor trackwidth. A pair of walls of ion-milling resistant material are fabricated to a predetermined height above the biasing layers at the sensor side edges. A layer of electrode material is then deposited onto the top of the sensor between the two walls. The walls serve as a mask during angled ion milling to remove outer portions of the electrode layer. The height of the walls and the angle of ion milling determines the width of the resulting top electrode. This leaves the reduced-width top electrode located on the sensor. Because of the directional ion milling using walls that are aligned with the sensor side edges, the reduced-width top electrode is self-aligned in the center of the sensor.

Abstract translation: 用于制造电流垂直于平面的磁阻传感器结构的方法产生在传感器的顶部上“自对准”并且具有小于传感器轨道宽度的宽度的顶部电极。 在传感器侧边缘处制造一对离子铣削材料的壁到偏置层上方的预定高度。 然后将电极材料层沉积在两个壁之间的传感器的顶部上。 在角度离子铣削期间，壁用作掩模以去除电极层的外部部分。 壁的高度和离子铣削的角度决定了所得顶部电极的宽度。 这使得位于传感器上的缩小宽度的顶部电极留下。 由于使用与传感器侧边缘对准的壁进行定向离子研磨，所以缩小宽度的顶部电极在传感器的中心自对准。

公开(公告)号：US08988833B2

公开(公告)日：2015-03-24

申请号：US13895411

申请日：2013-05-16

Applicant: HGST Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Patrick Mesquita Braganca ,  Jeffrey R. Childress ,  Jordan Asher Katine ,  Yang Li ,  Neil Leslie Robertson ,  Neil Smith ,  Petrus Antonius VanDerHeijden ,  Douglas Johnson Werner

IPC: G11B5/39

CPC classification number: G11B5/3163 ,  G11B5/398

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-the plane magnetoresistive sensor has top and bottom electrodes narrower than the sensor trackwidth. The electrodes are formed of one of Cu, Au, Ag and AgSn, which have an ion milling etch rate much higher than the etch rates for the sensor's ferromagnetic materials. Ion milling is performed at a high angle relative to a line orthogonal to the plane of the electrode layers and the layers in the sensor stack. Because of the much higher etch rate of the material of the top and bottom electrode layers, the electrode layers will have side edges that are recessed from the side edges of the free layer. This reduces the surface areas for the top and bottom electrodes, which causes the sense current passing through the sensor's free layer to be confined in a narrower channel, which is equivalent to having a sensor with narrower physical trackwidth.

Abstract translation: 电流垂直于平面磁阻传感器具有比传感器轨道宽度窄的顶部和底部电极。 电极由Cu，Au，Ag和AgSn之一形成，其离子研磨蚀刻速率远高于传感器铁磁材料的蚀刻速率。 离子铣削相对于与电极层的平面垂直的线和传感器堆叠中的层以高角度执行。 由于顶部和底部电极层的材料的蚀刻速率高得多，所以电极层将具有从自由层的侧边缘凹进的侧边缘。 这减小了顶部和底部电极的表面积，这导致通过传感器的自由层的感测电流被限制在较窄的通道中，这相当于具有较窄物理轨道宽度的传感器。