Abstract:
A magnetic sensor with increased sensitivity, lower noise, and improved frequency response is described. The sensor&#39;s free layer is ribbon shaped and is closely flanked at each long edge by a ribbon of magnetically soft, high permeability material. The side stripes of soft magnetic material absorb external field flux and concentrate the flux to flow into the sensor&#39;s edges to promote larger MR sensor magnetization rotation. The free layer may be deposited simultaneously with the soft magnetic layer when they are aligned in the same plane. When the flux absorbing stripes are positioned above or below the MR sensor, then the free layer and flux absorbing stripes are deposited in separate steps.

Description:
[0001]    This is a Divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/012,667, filed on Feb. 5, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, and assigned to a common assignee. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to the general field of magnetic sensors with particular reference to improving their sensitivity, frequency response, and noise level. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Magneto-resistive (MR) thin film sensors used for low field sensing applications usually take the form of long stripes with a width of several microns and a length of tens of microns, up to about 100 microns as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,584 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,278, and described by G. Hoffman and J. Birtwistle in “Factors affecting the performance of a thin film magnetoresistive vector magnetometer,”  J. Appl. Phys. , vol 53, pp. 8266-8268, Nov. 1982. 
         [0004]    With such a large aspect ratio, the shape anisotropy of the long stripe helps to maintain the magnetic domain structure within the sensing layer of the device (which has a thickness of &lt;10 nm in most cases). Prior work by B. Pant described in “Effect of interstrip gap on the sensitivity of high sensitivity magnetoresistive transducers,”  J. App!. Phys. , vol 79, pp. 6123-6125, Apr. 2006 also shows that reducing the gap between adjacent stripe patterns can help alleviate the “stiffness” of the sensor caused by the shape anisotropy of the long stripe. Thus, the sensitivity of the multi-stripe sensor array can be improved, as we will discuss below. 
         [0005]    A routine search of the prior art was performed with the following additional references of interest being found. U.S. Pat. No. 7,283,336 shows a single-domain free layer having a bias field at side edges of the read sensor. U.S. Pat. No. 7,203,039 discloses an additional layer of soft magnetic material abutting hard biasing layers to prevent flux leakage. U.S. Pat. No. 7,016,166 shows biasing structures abutting each side of the single domain MR structure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,873,499 shows flux guides abutting the read sensor. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    One objective of the present invention is to provide a MR sensor having a linear response due to uniform rotation of its free layer magnetization. 
         [0007]    Another objective of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a MR sensor exhibiting minimal low frequency noise due to a single domain free layer. 
         [0008]    Still another objective of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a MR sensor wherein field concentration and demagnetization cancellation by neighboring soft magnetic patterns is not limited by the MR sensor&#39;s free layer&#39;s properties so that the free layer can be independently optimized to increase the sensitivity of the MR sensor. 
         [0009]    A further object of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to improve the sensitivity to magnetic fields of a MR sensor. 
         [0010]    These objectives have been achieved with a sensor that has a free layer in the shape of a long ribbon having an aspect ratio greater than about 3 and a width (which coincides with the direction of the field to be sensed) that is less than the exchange length of the free layer material. The free layer may be part of an AMR, GMR, or TMR device. 
         [0011]    Concentration of flux from sources external to the free layer is enhanced by a pair of soft magnetic ribbons located at the sides of the MR sensor in close proximity to the sensor&#39;s long edges. 
         [0012]    This side pattern acts as a magnetic flux bridge that absorbs field flux, concentrating it to flow into the MR sensor edges to promote larger MR sensor magnetization rotation. For such an effect to work efficiently, high permeability material is preferred. Also, close proximity of the structure to the MR sensor edge, higher moment of the structure material relative to the MR sensor free layer as well as the physical shape of the structure are all factors that help to concentrate the flux. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate the basic principle of the invention and compare the degree of magnetization rotation with and without the presence of patterned soft magnetic material located at the sides of a MR sensor. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show cross-sectional and plan views, respectively, of an embodiment that represents the simplest form of the invention to implement wherein the side stripes and the free layer are formed in a single deposition. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C show embodiments wherein the free layer is located below the side stripes, allowing for the possibility of the latter overlapping the former. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C show embodiments similar to those shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C  but wherein the side stripes have asymmetrically tapered edges. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C show embodiments wherein the full MR device is located above the side stripes, allowing for the possibility of the former overlapping the latter. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C show embodiments similar to those shown in  FIGS. 5A-5C  but wherein the side stripes have asymmetrically tapered edges. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show an embodiment wherein the side stripe edges are symmetrically tapered and aligned with the free layer. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    Due to the large size of prior art sensing devices, domains in a free layer have a minimum dimension of about 1 μm. This is much larger than the exchange length of typical free layer material (200 nm-300 nm). Consequently, the presence of domains can be expected in these prior art sensors. To achieve stable and linear response from a MR device, the magnetization response to an external field is preferably due to a gradual magnetization rotation of the free layer in the applied field direction as in normal MR sensors used in hard disk drive heads. Magnetization switching through domain movement in the free layer, however, is very sensitive to the external field because of the lower energy needed to move a magnetization vortex, and is also intrinsically non-linear and very noisy. 
         [0021]    For example, Barkhausen noise resulting from domain motion in the presence of an applied field as described by K. B. Klaassen and J. C. L. van Peppen in “Barkhausen noise in thin-film recording heads,”  IEEE Trans. on Magn. , vol 26, pp. 1697-1699, Sep. 1990, may lead to significant low frequency noise and signal level uncertainty. Thus, although the sensitivity of domain movement is high, the noise that it causes offsets the gain of the high sensitivity and produces an effectively low SNR sensor. For accurate and high sensitivity field sensing, a single domain free layer should be the best situation. This requirement will need the minimal dimension of the field sensor, i.e. width of the sensor in most cases, to be shorter than the exchange length of the free layer material. Thus, a sensor width of less than 300 nm would be the most suitable. 
         [0022]    Insufficient demagnetization field cancellation is another concern. For a high length-over-width aspect ratio sensor, as required for a single domain free layer design, the shape anisotropy along the length direction could be high enough to cause sensitivity loss, especially in the low field case. In a prior study by B. Pant described in “Effect of interstrip gap on the sensitivity of high sensitivity magnetoresistive transducers,”  J. Appl. Phys. , vol 79, pp. 6123-6125, Apr. 2006, sensor stripes were arranged closer to each other so that the edge charges from sensors helped to offset the demagnetization field in their neighboring sensors. 
         [0023]    However, using a neighboring sensor&#39;s free layer to offset the demagnetization field is not a very efficient way to enhance the sensitivity of a stripe type field sensor. The reason is that the MR sensor free layer is usually very thin, which requires very close proximity between the sensors to actually utilize the neighboring charges. For a free layer with a 10 nm thickness, the expected proximity should be around the same scale, i.e. 10 nm, which is very hard to manufacture. 
         [0024]    Use of adjacent soft material to enhance sensitivity by absorbing the meager flux of the magnetic field to be sensed by the soft material and then re-concentrating that flux in the sensor free layer could theoretically lead to a higher rotation of the free layer&#39;s magnetization. This flux concentration effect is preferably achieved through some individual neighboring single layer magnetic structures rather than through the MR sensor itself. In this way, the flux concentration effect will not be limited by the free layer&#39;s thickness, magnetic moment, and material properties. Such a single layer structure at the side of the MR sensor may be comprised of uniformly constituted magnetic material having higher moment than the sensor&#39;s free layer, as well as high permeability and low coercivity. 
         [0025]    The present disclosure features a MR sensor in a single domain state without forming domain walls in the sensor&#39;s free layer, and is not limited to a specific MR sensor configuration, but rather any MR sensor with a magnetic free layer. With a single domain, free layer magnetization undergoes uniform rotation in the presence of an external field to produce a linear response. Also in the single domain state, various noises of magnetic origin can be effectively eliminated or reduced. However, due to the single domain requirement, the sensor width, which coincides with the direction of the field to be sensed, needs to be less than the exchange length of the free layer material. 
         [0026]    An important feature of the invention is the utilization of patterned soft magnetic material located at the sides of the MR sensor (stripe) in close proximity to the sensor&#39;s long edges. This side pattern absorbs external field flux, concentrating it to flow into the MR sensor edges to promote larger MR sensor magnetization rotation. For such an effect to work efficiently, high permeability material is preferred. Also, close proximity of the structure to the MR sensor edge, higher moment of the structure material relative to the free layer as well as the physical shape of the structure are all factors that help to concentrate the flux, as will be detailed in the embodiments presented below. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 1A-1B  show a comparison of simulated effective magnetization rotation of the MR sensor free layer along the applied field direction, with and without the neighboring soft magnetic film of the invention.  FIG. 1A  shows the sensor structure that was simulated. For simulation purposes, free layer  11  has a width of ˜10 μm in the x-axis direction, a thickness of 15 nm in z-axis direction, and the gap between adjacent free layers in the x-axis direction is 200 nm. The neighboring soft magnetic layers  14  bridge the gap between adjacent free layers and are formed below and between them. Soft magnetic layers have a width of 700 nm, a thickness of 15 nm, and spacing of 30 nm between a top surface of layer  14  and a bottom surface of free layer  11 . Layers  11  and  14  are assumed to be made of the same soft material with B S =1T. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1B  shows the free layer  11  magnetization in the x-axis direction vs. the position along a width direction under a 10 Oe x-axis field, with and without a soft magnetic layer  14 . Results show that the added soft magnetic layer can enhance the magnetization rotation by more than 30%. This clearly demonstrates the advantage of providing a neighboring soft magnetic film to enhance the sensitivity of a MR sensor stripe. 
         [0029]    In summary, we have found the major advantages of the invention when using single domain narrow width MR sensors with neighboring soft magnetic patterns include the following. First, MR sensor response is more linear due to the uniform rotation of the free layer magnetization. Secondly, sensor low frequency noise is less due to the single domain free layer. Thirdly, field concentration and demagnetization cancellation by neighboring soft magnetic patterns is not limited by the MR sensor&#39;s free layer&#39;s properties so the free layer can be independently optimized to increase the sensitivity of the MR sensor. 
         [0030]    The embodiments described below having a soft magnetic layer pattern on the sides of a MR sensor closest to the edges of the free layer, but lying below the free layer top surface as shown in  FIGS. 5A-6C  may be made using procedures similar to those used for hard bias deposition in the manufacture of hard drive read heads, except that the hard magnetic material is replaced by a soft magnetic material. When the free layer and soft magnetic layer are formed in the same plane, then a single deposition step may be used to deposit both layers. In other embodiments where the MR stripe is formed entirely below or above the soft magnetic layers, then separate deposition steps are required for the free layer and soft magnetic layers. 
         [0031]    In all embodiments, the free layer thickness may be from 10 to 300 Angstroms and the soft magnetic layers (flux absorbing stripes) may have a thickness between 10 and 1000 Angstroms. Moreover, each flux absorbing stripe may be comprised of one or more elements selected from Co, Fe, Ni, B, N, Cr, Hf, Nb, and Zr. 
       Embodiment 1 
       [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 2A , seen there, in cross-sectional view, are free layer  21 , reference (pinned) layer  22 , and spacer layer  23  that may be Cu for GMR (Giant Magneto-Resistance) and metal oxide for TMR (Tunneling Magneto-Resistance) devices which have been patterned into long stripes. For the AMR (Anisotropic Magneto-Resistance) device case, only layer  21  exists. For GMR and TMR embodiments, reference layer magnetization is pinned in the x-axis direction by one or more underlying magnetic layers (not shown). Non-sensing soft magnetic layers  24  are patterned and positioned in close proximity to the longer edges of the MR sensor. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 2B , the width  25  of free layer  21  is less than the magnetic exchange length of typical free layer material, i.e. &lt;300 nm in most cases. The aspect ratio for the free layer (thickness/width) is preferably at least 5. The MR sensor length along the y-axis direction is substantially longer than width  25  and is at least 1 μm. The soft magnetic layers also referred to as flux absorbing stripes  24  have a similar, or even greater length than the MR sensor in the y-axis direction. There is no specific width requirement for the soft magnetic layers but their width is preferably greater than width  25 . The thickness of the soft magnetic layers is proximate to that of the free layer and the relative thickness of layers  21 ,  24  satisfies the inequality of M film t film &gt;M free t free , where M film  and M free  are the magnetization of the soft magnetic layers and free layer, respectively, and t film  and t free  are the thickness of the soft magnetic layers and free layer, respectively. 
         [0034]    The spacing  26  between flux absorbing stripes  24  and free layer free layer  21  is no greater than twice the larger of these two thicknesses (t film  and t free ) The vertical distance  27  between a bottom surface of a soft magnetic layer and the MR sensor stack&#39;s bottom surface in  FIG. 2A  is such that the vertical distance between the center lines of layers  21  and  24  is within ±100% of the thickness of the soft magnetic layer. Although only a single instance of the side by side arrangement of MR stack and patterned flux absorbing stripes is shown in the figure, said arrangement can be repeated with a chosen periodicity along the x-axis direction to form multiple MR sensing stripes interleaved with multiple patterned flux absorbing stripes, with neighboring MR stripes sharing a common patterned flux absorbing stripe  24 . 
       Embodiment 2 
       [0035]    This embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 3A , B, &amp;C, is the same as Embodiment 1 except that distance  37  is equal or larger than the MR film stack and flux absorbing stripes  34   a ,  34   b  are formed entirely above the top surface of free layer  21 . The thickness of each flux absorbing stripe still satisfies M film t film &gt;M free t free . In  FIG. 3   a , there is a plane  40 - 40  that bisects the MR stripe including free layer  21  in a lengthwise direction along the y-axis. A second edge  34   e   2  of a first flux absorbing stripe  34   a  is offset from a first edge  21   e   2  of the free layer along the x-axis direction that is orthogonal to plane  40 - 40 . A second edge  34   e   1  of a second flux absorbing stripe  34   b  is offset from a first opposing edge  21   e   1  of the free layer along a (−)x-axis direction. Distance  36  along the x-axis direction in  FIG. 3C  is preferred to be as close to zero as possible for good magnetostatic coupling between layers  21  and  34   a,  and between layers  21  and  34   b.  As illustrated in  FIG. 3B , distance  36  may be negative wherein a portion of flux absorbing stripe  34   a  including edge  34   e   2  may be aligned above free layer  21 , and a portion of flux absorbing stripe  34   b  including edge  34   e   1  may be aligned above the free layer. 
         [0036]    In all embodiments, adjacent pairs of opposing first edges and second edges such as first pair  21   e   1 ,  34   e   1  and second pair  21   e   2 ,  34   e   2  are aligned parallel to each other, and adjacent edge pairs being separated from one another by a distance that is no greater than twice the larger of the free layer and flux absorbing stripe thicknesses, as measured from one of the opposing first edges in a direction parallel to said free layer top surface. 
       Embodiment 3 
       [0037]    This embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C , is the same as embodiment 1 except that flux absorbing stripes  44   a,    44   b  have asymmetrically tapered edges. The thickness of each flux absorbing stripe in a z-axis direction between bottom surface  44   d  and top surface  44   t  satisfies the requirement M film t film &gt;M free t free . In  FIG. 4A , there is a plane  40 - 40  that bisects the MR stripe including free layer  21  in a lengthwise direction along the y-axis. A second edge  44   e   2  of a first flux absorbing stripe  44   a  is offset from a first edge  21   e   2  of the free layer along the x-axis direction that is orthogonal to plane  40 - 40 . A second edge  44   e   1  of a second flux absorbing stripe  44   b  is offset from a first opposing edge  21   e   1  of the free layer along a (−)x-axis direction. Furthermore, each edge  44   s  forms a sloped surface that connects an edge  21   e   1  or  21   e   2  to a top surface  44   t.  Note that as the distance along sloped surface  44   s  from edge  21   e  or  21   e   2  becomes increasingly greater, the distance between slope  44   s  and bottom surface  44   d  also becomes larger. Tapering or sloped surfaces  44   s  serve to concentrate flux into free layer  21  thereby increasing sensitivity of magnetization therein to external fields. 
         [0038]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4B , distance  36  (shown in the top-down view in  FIG. 4C ) may be negative since a portion of flux absorbing stripe  44   a  including edge  44   e   2  may be aligned above free layer  21 , and a portion of flux absorbing stripe  44   b  including edge  44   e   1  may be aligned above a top surface  21   t  of the free layer. 
       Embodiment 4 
       [0039]    Another embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5A-5C  is the same as embodiment 1 except distance  57  that represents the separation between a top surface  21   t  of free layer  21  and a top surface  24   t  of flux absorbing stripes  24   a,    24   b  is equal to or larger than the thickness of the free layer. Thus, the flux absorbing stripes are entirely below the bottom surface of the MR stripe. The thickness of the flux absorbing stripes and free layer still satisfies M film t film &gt;M free free . Distance  36  along the x-axis direction is preferably as close to zero as possible for good magnetostatic coupling between the free layer and flux absorbing stripes. As discussed above and depicted in the cross-sectional view in  FIG. 5B , distance  36  may be negative such that portions of the free layer  21  and MR stripe are aligned above layers  24   a,    24   b.  In other words, free layer edges  21   e   1  and  21   e   2  may be formed above a top surface  24   t  of the flux absorbing stripes. 
       Embodiment 5 
       [0040]    Another embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6A-6C  is the same as in embodiment 4 except that flux absorbing stripes  64   a,    64   b  have asymmetrically tapered edges. Moreover, a top surface  64   t  of the flux absorbing stripes may be below a top surface  21   t  of the free layer and above a bottom surface  22   b  of the reference layer. The thickness of each flux absorbing stripe in a z-axis direction between bottom surface  64   d  and top surface  64   t  satisfies the requirement M film t film &gt;M free t free . In  FIG. 6A , there is a plane  40 - 40  that bisects the MR stripe including free layer  21  in a lengthwise direction along the y-axis. A second edge  64   e   2  of a first flux absorbing stripe  64   a  is offset from a first edge  21   e   2  of the free layer along the x-axis direction that is orthogonal to plane  40 - 40 . A second edge  64   e   1  of a second flux absorbing stripe  64   b  is offset from a first opposing edge  21   e   1  of the free layer along a (−)x-axis direction. Furthermore, each edge  64   s  forms a sloped surface that connects an edge  21   e   1  or  21   e   2  to a bottom surface  64   d.  Note that as the distance along sloped surface  64   s  from edge  21   e  or  21   e   2  becomes increasingly greater, the distance between slope  64   s  and top surface  64   t  also becomes larger. Tapering or sloped surfaces  64   s  serve to concentrate flux into free layer  21 , thereby increasing sensitivity of magnetization therein to external fields. 
         [0041]    In an alternative embodiment illustrated by the cross-sectional view in  FIG. 6B , the flux absorbing stripes may be formed entirely below a bottom surface of the MR stripe. Thus, edges  64   e   1 ,  64   e   2  are aligned below a bottom surface of reference layer  23 . Distance  36  corresponding to the gap between stripe  64   a  (or  64   b ) and the MR stripe in  FIG. 6A  has a positive value. However, the separation between a flux absorbing stripe and MR stripe is considered to be negative in a configuration ( FIG. 6B ) where a portion of flux absorbing stripe  64   a  including edge  64   e   2  is aligned below free layer  21 , and a portion of flux absorbing stripe  64   b  including edge  64   e   1  is aligned below a top surface  21   t  of the free layer. 
       Embodiment 6 
       [0042]    This embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7A-7B  is the same as embodiment  1  except that each flux absorbing stripe  74   a,    74   b  has two symmetrically tapered edges  74   r,    74   s.  The tapered edges  74   r,    74   s  connect edge  74   e   2  to top surface  74   t  and bottom surface  74   d , respectively, in flux absorbing stripe  74   a.  Likewise, the two tapered edges connect edge  74   e   1  to top surface  74   t  and bottom surface  74   d  in flux absorbing stripe  74   b.  According to this embodiment, edges  74   e   1 ,  74   e   2  preferably face free layer edges  21   e   1 ,  21   e   2 , respectively. Therefore, the flux absorbing stripes are aligned opposite the free layer along an x-axis direction and are thinnest at edges  74   e   1 ,  74   e   2  and grow thicker (uniformly in both vertical directions) with increasing distance from the free layer until reaching a constant thickness value. As mentioned previously, tapered flux absorbing stripes serve to concentrate flux into the free layer thereby increasing sensor sensitivity to an external field. The thickness of flux absorbing stripes  74   a,    74   b  satisfies the relationship M film t film &gt;M free t free . Spacing  36  between layers  21  and  74   a,    74   b  is no greater than twice the larger of the free layer thickness and thickness of the flux absorbing stripes at locations closest to the free layer.