The present disclosure generally relates to spin-orbital torque (SOT) differential reader designs. The SOT differential reader is a multi-terminal device that comprises a first shield, a first spin hall effect layer, a first free layer, a gap layer, a second spin hall effect layer, a second free layer, and a second shield. The gap layer is disposed between the first spin hall effect layer and the second spin hall effect layer. Electrical lead connections are located about the first spin hall effect layer, the second spin hall effect layer, the gap layer, the first shield, and/or the second shield. The electrical lead connections facilitate the flow of current and/or voltage from a negative lead to a positive lead. The positioning of the electrical lead connections and the positioning of the SOT differential layers improves reader resolution without decreasing the shield-to-shield spacing (i.e., read-gap).

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.

The present disclosure generally relates to a storage device comprising soft bias structures having high coercivity and high anisotropy, and a method of forming thereof. The soft bias structures may be formed by moving a wafer in a first direction under a plume of NiFe to deposit a first NiFe layer at a first angle, moving the wafer in a second direction anti-parallel to the first direction to deposit a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The soft bias structures may be formed by rotating a wafer to a first position, depositing a first NiFe layer at a first angle, rotating the wafer to a second position, depositing a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The first and second NiFe layers have different grain structures.

A method provides a magnetic read apparatus. A sensor stack is deposited. The read sensor is defined from the stack such that the sensor has sides forming a junction angle of 75 degrees-105 degrees from a sensor bottom. Defining the sensor includes performing a first ion mill at a first angle and a first energy and performing a second ion mill at a second angle greater than the first angle and at a second energy less than the first energy. The first angle is 5 degrees-30 degrees from normal to the top surface. After the first ion mill, less than half of the stack's bottom layer depth remains unmilled. Magnetic bias structure(s) adjacent to the sides may be formed. The magnetic bias structure(s) include a side shielding material having at least one of the saturation magnetization greater than 800 emu/cm.sup.3 and an exchange length less than five nanometers.

A magnetoresistance element can have a substrate; a ferromagnetic seed layer consisting of a binary alloy of NiFe; and a first nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed under and directly adjacent to the ferromagnetic seed layer and proximate to the substrate, wherein the first nonmagnetic spacer layer is comprised of Ta or Ru. A method fabricating of fabricating a magnetoresistance element can include depositing a seed layer structure over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the depositing the seed layer structure includes depositing at least a ferromagnetic seed layer over the substrate. The method further can further include depositing a free layer structure over the seed layer structure, wherein the depositing the ferromagnetic seed layer comprises depositing the ferromagnetic seed layer in the presence of a motion along a predetermined direction and in the presence of a predetermined magnetic field having the same predetermined direction.

A MR sensor is disclosed with an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer recessed behind a bottom shield to reduce reader shield spacing and improve pin related noise. Above the AFM layer is an AP2/AFM coupling layer/AP1 stack that extends from an air bearing surface to the MR sensor backside. The AP2 layer is pinned by the AFM layer, and the AP1 layer serves as a reference layer to an overlying free layer during a read operation. The AP1 and AP2 layers have improved resistance to magnetization flipping because back portions thereof have a full cross-track width “w” between MR sensor sides thereby enabling greater pinning strength from the AFM layer. Front portions of the AP1/AP2 layers lie under the free layer and have a track width less than “w”. The bottom shield may have an anti-ferromagnetic coupling structure. A process flow is provided for fabricating the MR sensor.

A double pinned magnetoresistance element has a temporary ferromagnetic layer, two PtMn antiferromagnetic pinning layers, and two associated synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) pinned layer structures, the temporary ferromagnetic layer operable to improve annealing of the two PtMn antiferromagnetic pinning layers and the two associated SAFs to two different magnetic directions that are a relative ninety degrees apart.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to magnetic recording heads of magnetic recording devices. A magnetic read head includes a first pinning layer magnetically oriented in a first direction, and a second pinning layer formed above the first pinning layer and magnetically oriented in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction. The magnetic read head includes a rear hard bias disposed outwardly of one or more of the first pinning layer relative or the second pinning layer. The rear hard bias is magnetically oriented to generate a magnetic field in a bias direction. The bias direction points in the same direction as the first direction or the second direction. The magnetic read head does not include an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer between a lower shield and an upper shield.

Embodiments herein provide film stacks that include a buffer layer; a synthetic ferrimagnet (SyF) coupling layer; and a capping layer, wherein the capping layer comprises one or more layers, and wherein the capping layer, the buffer layer, the SyF coupling layer, or a combination thereof, is not fabricated from Ru.

A magnetic head includes a magneto-resistance effect element in the form of a multilayer film, a pair of shields between which the magneto-resistance effect element is interposed in the lamination direction of the layers of the magneto-resistance effect element and each functioning as an electrode, a pair of side shields with one of said side shields on each side of the magneto-resistance effect element in the direction perpendicular to the lamination direction of the magneto-resistance effect element interposed between the pair of shields, the side shields magnetically coupled to either of the pair of shields, and an anisotropy-application layer disposed adjacent to the shield magnetically coupled to the pair of side shields. The pair of shields, the magneto-resistance effect element, and the pair of side shields are exposed on the air bearing surface facing a recording medium. The anisotropy-application layer is not exposed on the air bearing surface and is provided at a position away from the air bearing surface.