Nano Processing Strategies for MR Sensor Read Width and Stripe Height formation

Author

Cyrille, M. ; Dill, F. ; Li, J. ; Fontana, R. ; Pinarbasi, M. ; Baer, A. ; Katine, J. ; Driskill-Smith, A. ; Jayasekara, W. ; Ho, M. ; Tsang, C. ; Mackay, K.

Author_Institution

San Jose Res. Center, San Jose

fYear

2006

fDate

8-12 May 2006

Firstpage

274

Lastpage

274

Abstract

An alternative sensor patterning approach is proposed based on chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and no-undercut resist images to define the read sensors critical dimensions. It will be shown that this technique is compatible with most lithography tools and strategies. Ultra narrow giant magnetoresistive (GMR) read heads have been successfully fabricated with physical read widths in the 40-80 nm range and using various sensor designs: current in plane (CIP) GMR, current perpendicular to the plane (CPP) GMR and CPP tunnel magnetoresistive (CPP -TMR) sensors.

Keywords

chemical mechanical polishing; giant magnetoresistance; magnetic heads; magnetic sensors; magnetoelectronics; magnetoresistive devices; nanotechnology; tunnelling magnetoresistance; chemical mechanical polishing; current-in-plane giant magnetoresistive sensors; current-perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistive sensors; current-perpendicular-to-the-plane tunnel magnetoresistive sensors; nanoprocessing; no-undercut resist images; physical read widths; size 40 nm to 80 nm; stripe height; ultra narrow giant magnetoresistive read heads; Chemical sensors; Giant magnetoresistance; Image sensors; Magnetic heads; Magnetic recording; Magnetic sensors; Mechanical sensors; Perpendicular magnetic recording; Resists; Tunneling magnetoresistance;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Magnetics Conference, 2006. INTERMAG 2006. IEEE International

Conference_Location

San Diego, CA

Print_ISBN

1-4244-1479-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/INTMAG.2006.375856

Filename

4261707