TUNNELING MAGNETORESISTANCE READ HEAD HAVING A COFE INTERFACE LAYER AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

According to one embodiment, a method for producing a Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) read head includes forming a fixed layer, forming an insulating barrier layer above the fixed layer, forming a free layer above the insulating barrier layer, and annealing the free layer, the fixed layer, and the insulating barrier layer. The fixed layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer having a CoxFe (0≦̸x≦̸15) interface layer and a Co-based amorphous metallic layer between the CoxFe interface layer and the insulating barrier layer, an antiparallel coupling layer below the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer below the antiparallel coupling layer. In another embodiment, a TMR read head includes the layers described above, and may be included in a magnetic data storage system.