A read head is disclosed wherein a Spin Hall Effect (SHE) layer is formed on a free layer (FL) in a sensor and between the FL and top shield (S2). Preferably, the sensor has a seed layer, an AP2 reference layer, antiferromagnetic coupling layer, AP1 reference layer, and a tunnel barrier sequentially formed on a bottom shield (S1). When the stripe heights of the FL and SHE layer are equal, a two terminal configuration is employed where a current flows between one side of the SHE layer to a center portion thereof and then to S1, or vice versa. As a result, a second spin torque is generated by the SHE layer on the FL that opposes a first spin torque from the AP1 reference layer on the FL.

A spin-orbit torque (SOT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) device includes a substrate, a seed layer over the substrate, and a bismuth antimony (BiSb) layer having (0120) orientation on the seed layer. The seed layer includes a silicide layer and a surface control layer. The silicide layer includes a material of NiSi, NiFeSi, NiFeTaSi, NiCuSi, CoSi, CoFeSi, CoFeTaSi, CoCuSi, or combinations thereof. The surface control layer includes a material of NiFe, NiFeTa, NiTa, NiW, NiFeW, NiCu, NiCuM, NiFeCu, CoTa, CoFeTa, NiCoTa, Co, CoM, CoNiM, CoNi, NiSi, CoSi, NiCoSi, Cu, CuAgM, CuM, or combinations thereof, in which M is Fe, Cu, Co, Ta, Ag, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, or Si.

An exchange coupling film in which a magnetic field (Hex) at which the magnetization direction of a pinned magnetic layer is reversed is high, in which stability under high-temperature conditions is high, and which is excellent in strong-magnetic field resistance. The exchange coupling film includes an antiferromagnetic layer and a pinned magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic layer, the antiferromagnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer being stacked together. The antiferromagnetic layer has a structure including a PtCr layer, a PtMn layer, and an IrMn layer stacked in this order. The IrMn layer is in contact with the pinned magnetic layer. The thickness of the PtMn layer is 12 Å or more, and the thickness of the IrMn layer is 6 Å. The sum of the thickness of the PtMn layer and the thickness of the IrMn layer is 20 Å or more.

A magnetoresistance effect element has an underlayer, a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers. The tunnel barrier layer has a spinel structure and includes at least one lattice-matched portion, and at least one lattice-mismatched portion. The underlayer is made of a nitride layer; a layer having a (001)-oriented tetragonal or cubic structure; or a layer having a stacked structure with a combination of a nitride layer having a (001)-oriented NaCl structure and a layer having a (001)-oriented tetragonal or cubic structure.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a transistor region, a metal interconnect, and a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ). The transistor region includes a gate over the substrate, and a doped region is at least partially in the substrate. The metal interconnect is over the doped region. The metal interconnect includes a metal via. The MTJ is entirely underneath the metal interconnect and between the doped region and the metal via, and a diameter of a bottom surface of the MTJ is greater than a diameter of an upper surface of the MTJ.

A tunnel magnetoresistance effect (TMR) device includes an exchange coupling film having a first ferromagnetic layer, which is at least a portion of a fixed magnetic layer, and an antiferromagnetic layer laminated on the first ferromagnetic layer. The ferromagnetic layer includes an X(Cr—Mn) layer containing one or two or more elements X selected from the group consisting of the platinum group elements and Ni, and also containing Mn and Cr. The X(Cr—Mn) layer has a first region relatively near the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second region relatively far away from the first ferromagnetic layer, and the content of Mn in the first region is higher than that in the second region.

This spin current magnetization rotational type magnetoresistive element includes a magnetoresistive effect element having a first ferromagnetic metal layer having a fixed magnetization orientation, a second ferromagnetic metal layer having a variable magnetization orientation, and a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between the first ferromagnetic metal layer and the second ferromagnetic metal layer, and spin-orbit torque wiring which extends in a direction that intersects the stacking direction of the magnetoresistive effect element, and is connected to the second ferromagnetic metal layer, wherein the electric current that flows through the magnetoresistive effect element and the electric current that flows through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are distributed in the portion where the magnetoresistive effect element and the spin-orbit torque wiring are connected.

This spin current magnetization rotational type magnetoresistive element includes a magnetoresistive effect element having a first ferromagnetic metal layer having a fixed magnetization orientation, a second ferromagnetic metal layer having a variable magnetization orientation, and a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between the first ferromagnetic metal layer and the second ferromagnetic metal layer, and spin-orbit torque wiring which extends in a direction that intersects the stacking direction of the magnetoresistive effect element, and is connected to the second ferromagnetic metal layer, wherein the electric current that flows through the magnetoresistive effect element and the electric current that flows through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are distributed in the portion where the magnetoresistive effect element and the spin-orbit torque wiring are connected.

The present invention is directed to the fabrication of head sliders for use in hard disk drives, and in particular the provision and usage of electrical bond pads on the slider surface structure to accommodate needs of the fabrication process as well as slider operation within a disk drive.

A magnetic recording device includes a main pole, a coil around the main pole, a trailing shield, and a leading shield. A trailing gap is between the main pole and the trailing shield. In one embodiment, the trailing gap includes a non-magnetic conductive material. In another embodiment, the trailing gap includes a spin torque oscillator device. A leading gap is between the main pole and the leading shield. The leading gap includes a non-magnetic conductive material. The main pole is coupled to a first terminal. The trailing shield coupled to a second terminal. The leading shield is coupled to a third terminal.