Contact recording tunnel magnetoresistive sensor with layer of refractory metal

摘要

Various embodiments relate to an apparatus having a sensor with an active tunnel magnetoresistive region, magnetic shields flanking the tunnel magnetoresistive region, and gaps between the active tunnel magnetoresistive region and the magnetic shields. The active tunnel magnetoresistive region includes a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a reference layer. At least one of the gaps includes an electrically conductive layer having a refractory material. Other embodiments relate to an apparatus having a sensor with an active tunnel magnetoresistive region, magnetic shields flanking the tunnel magnetoresistive region, and gaps between the tunnel magnetoresistive region and the magnetic shields. The active tunnel magnetoresistive region includes a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a reference layer. At least one of the gaps includes an electrically conductive layer having a modified region at a media facing side thereof, the modified region being at least one of nonconductive and mechanically hardened.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an array of sensors sharing a common media-facing surface, each sensor having an active tunnel magnetoresistive region, magnetic shields flanking the tunnel magnetoresistive region, and gaps between the active tunnel magnetoresistive region and the magnetic shields, wherein the active tunnel magnetoresistive region includes a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a reference layer, wherein at least one of the gaps includes an electrically conductive layer having a refractory material.