What is claimed is:
1. A magnetoresistive device comprising:
a substrate;
a metal layer formed over said substrate provided with a groove having first and second angled walls, said first angled wall forming a terminus of a first portion of said metal layer and said second angled wall forming a terminus of a second portion of said metal layer;
a first plurality of layers of materials that exhibit a magnetoresistive effect when exposed to a magnetic field and an electric current, said first plurality of layers being formed along said first angled wall;
a second plurality of layers of materials that exhibit said magnetoresistive effect when exposed to said magnetic field and said electric current, said second plurality of layers being formed along said second angled wall; and
a conductive element that lies between and is in electrical and physical contact with said first and second plurality of layers, whereby when an electric current flows through one of said first and second portions of said metal layer, at least a component of said electric current flows approximately perpendicularly to said first and second plurality of layers and through the other of said first and second portions of said metal layer.
2. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 1, wherein a predominant component of said electric current flows approximately perpendicularly to said first and second plurality of layers.
3. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 2, wherein said first and second plurality of layers lie, respectively, on a first particular angle relative to an axis of said metal layer that extends across said groove, that is greater than zero and less than or equal to approximately ninety degrees, and a second particular angle that is greater than or equal to ninety degrees and less than 180 degrees as measured in a same direction as said first particular angle.
4. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 2, further comprising a bias material for appropriately biasing said first and second plurality of layers.
5. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 4, wherein said bias material is a hard bias that abuts said first and second plurality of layers at first ends of said first and second plurality of layers.
6. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 4, wherein said bias material is a first hard bias that is formed between a first side of said first plurality of layers and said first angled wall, and a second hard bias that is formed between a first side of said second plurality of layers and said second angled wall.
7. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 2, further comprising:
a first insulating layer formed between a first side of said metal layer and said substrate;
a second insulating layer formed above a second side of said metal layer that is approximately parallel to said first side, said first and second insulating layers being provided with respective first and second grooves, each having first and second angled walls, said first angled walls forming terminuses of a first portion of said first and second insulating layers and said second angled walls forming terminuses of a second portion of said first and second insulating layers, said first and second grooves being aligned with said groove in said metal layer to form a contiguous groove through said first and second insulating layers and said metal layer, such that said first and second plurality of layers are also formed along said first and second angled walls of said first and second insulating layers.
8. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 7, wherein said first and second plurality of layers are contiguous at portions of said first and second plurality of layers.
9. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 2, wherein said conductive element lies within a gap that is defined between said first and second plurality of layers, said magnetoresistive device further comprising insulation material lying within said gap both above and below said conductive element, said conductive element and insulation material filing said gap.
10. A magnetoresistive device for reading magnetic media, comprising:
first angled wall means for conducting an electric current;
second angled wall means for conducting said electric current said first and second angled wall means forming walls of a groove;
first detector means for detecting a magnetic field formed on said first angled wall means;
second detector means for detecting said magnetic field formed on said second angled wall means; and
conductive means electrically connected to and located between said first and second means for detecting, such that when said electric current flows through one of said first and second detector means, at least a component of an electric current flows approximately perpendicular through said first and second detector means.
11. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 10, wherein said first means for conducting comprises a first conductive element having a first insulating layer above said first conductive element and said second insulating layer below said first conductive element, such that said first conductive element is electrically connected to a center portion of said first means for detecting, and
wherein said second means for conducting comprises a second conductive element having a first insulating layer above said second conductive element and said second insulating layer below said second conductive element, such that said second conductive element is electrically connected to a center portion of said second means for detecting.
12. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 11, wherein said first and second means for detecting are magnetoresistive elements that are contiguous at a portion different than said center portions of said first and second means for detecting.
13. The magnetoresistive device as recited in claim 10, wherein said first and second means for detecting are separate.
14. A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive device that is capable of reading data that is recorded on magnetic media, said method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a first conductive element on said substrate;
forming a second conductive element on said substrate to form a main conductive layer along with said first conductive element, said first and second conductive elements being separated by a conductor separation gap;
forming a groove in said main conductive layer substantially coincident with said conductor separation gap, defined by a first angled wall and a second angled wall of said first and second conductive elements, respectively;
forming a magnetoresistive element within said groove and in electrical contact with said first and second conductive elements, such that there is an element gap between a magnetoresistive element first portion and a magnetoresistive element second portion;
forming a third conductive element within said element gap, in electrical contact with said first and second magnetoresistive element portions, such that when an electrical current is passed through said main conductive element, said electrical current passes through said third conductive element and through said first and second magnetoresistive element portions with a current-perpendicular-to-plane component.
15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said current-perpendicular-to-plane component is the predominant component of said electrical current as it passes through said first and second magnetoresistive element portions.
16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said forming said first conductive element comprises:
depositing a first conductive material above said first side of said substrate; and
defining said first conductive element from said first conductive material, including exposing a portion of said substrate adjacent to said first conductive element.
17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said forming said second conductive element comprises:
depositing filler material over said first conductive element and over said portion of said substrate;
depositing a second conductive material over said filler material;
depositing lap stop material over said second conductive material;
lapping said lap stop material and said second conductive material to remove a portion of said second conductive material that lies over said first conductive element, and to remove a portion of said lap stop material that lies over said portion of said second conductive material; and
removing said filler material from between said first and second conductive elements.
18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said forming said groove comprises:
removing a portion of said first conductive element and a portion of said second conductive element by ion milling said first and second conductive elements, said ion milling being directed at approximately perpendicular to a top surface of said first and second conductive elements.
19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said forming said first and second portions of said magnetoresistive element comprises:
depositing a plurality of layers of materials over said first and second conductive elements and within said groove formed between said first and second conductive elements, said materials and an order of said plurality of layers being appropriate to achieve particular magnetoresistive properties; and
removing a portion of said plurality of layers.
20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said removing a portion of said plurality of layers includes ion milling at a particular angle, such that said first and second portions of said magnetoresistive element are separate.
21. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said forming said first conductive element further comprises:
depositing a first insulating material above said first side of said substrate before depositing said first conductive material, and depositing a second insulating material above said first conductive material after depositing said first conductive material, wherein said defining said first conductive element is also from said first and second insulating materials; and
wherein said forming said second conductive element further comprises depositing a third insulating material above said filler material before depositing said second conductive material, and depositing a fourth insulating material above said second conductive material after depositing said second conductive material.
22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said forming said first and second portions of said magnetoresistive element comprises:
depositing a plurality of layers of materials over said first and second conductive elements and within said groove formed between said first and second conductive elements, said materials and an order of said plurality of layers being appropriate to achieve particular magnetoresistive properties; and
removing a portion of said plurality of layers by chemical mechanical polishing a portion of said plurality of layers that overlies said first and second conductive elements, while retaining a portion of said plurality of layers that is in said groove thereby forming said first and second portions of said magnetoresistive element that are contiguous.
23. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising forming a bias element for biasing said magnetoresistive element.
24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein said forming a bias element includes depositing bias material within said groove before forming said magnetoresistive element.
25. A system for reading from and writing to magnetic media, said system comprising:
a readwrite head including:
a write element for recording data on said magnetic media, said write element being configured to use a first current to create a first magnetic field in the vicinity of said write element;
a read element for reading data from the magnetic media, said read element including a magnetoresistive element that is formed within a groove that is located within a metal layer, said read element being configured to use a second current that is injected through said metal layer and said magnetoresistive element to detect a second magnetic field in the vicinity of said magnetic media.
26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein said read element is configured such that said second current passes through said magnetoresistive element with a predominant current-perpendicular-to-plane component.
27. The system as recited in claim 25, further comprising:
a disk drive motor having a drive spindle upon which said magnetic media is supported for rotation;
an actuator having an actuator spindle, said actuator being configured to rotate said actuator spindle;
an arm attached to said actuator spindle such that when said actuator rotates said actuator spindle, said arm pivots about said spindle;
a suspension having a first end and a second end, coupled at said first end to said arm, and at said second end to said readwrite head, such that said readwrite head is suspended over said magnetic disk and as said disk drive motor rotates said magnetic disk, an air bearing is formed under said readwrite head causing it to lift slightly off of a surface of said magnetic disk, while rotation of said actuator spindle causes said readwrite head to move in an arc.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A clamp device comprising:
a frame including a supporting portion formed on one end thereof, wherein the supporting portion is adapted for abutting against a handle tube, and
a clamping unit pivotally connected to the frame, with the clamping unit including two clamping elements, wherein each clamping element has a connecting portion on one end, a coupling portion on the other end opposite to the connecting portion, and a curved portion between the connecting portion and the coupling portion,
wherein the clamping unit is pivotally moved between an open position and a clamping position, wherein the clamping elements are detached from each other in the open position, and the clamping elements are close to each other in the clamping position.
2. The clamp device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping unit further includes a pin utilized to connect clamping elements and the supporting portion of the frame.
3. The clamp device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting portion has a curved surface on a distal end thereof, the curved surface is adapted for abutting against a handle tube and has a center defined thereon.
4. The clamp device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the clamping unit further includes a pin, wherein the supporting portion has a first side, a second side opposite to the first side, and two lateral sides opposite to each other, and the lateral sides extend between the first side and the second side, wherein the supporting portion has an aperture extending from one of the lateral side to the other one, wherein the supporting portion further forms two recesses on the lateral sides, respectively, with each recess in communication with an end of the aperture, wherein the connecting portion of each clamping element forms a pivoting arm corresponding to the recess of the frame, wherein the pivoting arm forms a through hole corresponding to the aperture of the frame, wherein the pin is inserted through the aperture and the through hole.
5. The clamp device as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the first and second sides forms a slant, wherein the tangent plane of the slant crosses the center.
6. The clamp device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each clamping element further has a curved portion between the connecting portion and the coupling portion, with the curved portions utilized to abut against the handle tube, wherein each curved portion has a curvature radius the same with that of the curved surface of the frame.
7. The clamp device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coupling portion has an opening, wherein the through hole has a first axis along the longitudinal axle thereof, the opening has a second axis along the longitudinal axle thereof, and the aperture has a third axis along the longitudinal axle thereof, wherein the first axis is perpendicular with respect to the second axis, and is parallel with respect to the third axis.
8. The clamp device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fastener installed to the clamping unit, wherein the coupling portion has an opening adapted for associating with the fastener.
9. The clamp device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the clamping unit further includes two pins, wherein the supporting portion has a first side, a second side opposite to the first side, and two lateral sides opposite to each other, and the lateral sides extend between the first side and the second side, wherein the supporting portion has two apertures, which are parallel and spaced with each other, and four recesses. Wherein two of the recesses are formed on one of the lateral sides. Wherein the other two of the recesses are formed on the other one of the lateral sides. With each recess in communication with an end of related aperture, wherein the connecting portion of each clamping element forms two pivoting arm thereon, with the pivoting arm respectively disposed in the recesses, wherein each pivoting arm forms a through hole corresponding to the aperture of the frame, wherein the pin is inserted through the aperture and the through holes.
10. The clamp device as claimed in claim 1, with each clamping element having a profile the same with each other.
11. The clamp device as claimed in claim 1, with each clamping element symmetrically disposed with each other.
12. The clamp device as claimed in claim 10, with each clamping element symmetrically disposed with each other.
13. The clamp device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the clamping elements is abutted against the upper periphery of one side of the handle, and the other clamping element is abutted against the lower periphery of the side of the handle.