Read sensor with a uniform longitudinal bias stack

A bottom-type giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor overlaid with a uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack, the bottom-type GMR sensor comprising:

• nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic seed layers;
• an antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer;
• a ferromagnetic first pinned layer;
• a first nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a ferromagnetic second pinned layer, the first nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer being sandwiched between the first and second pinned layers;
• a nonmagnetic conducting spacer layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic sense layer, the nonmagnetic conducting spacer layer being sandwiched between the ferromagnetic second pinned layer and the ferromagnetic sense layer;
• the uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack comprising:
• a second nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer, the second nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer being sandwiched between the sense layer and the ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer;
• an antiferromagnetic longitudinal pinning layer in direct contact with and exchange-couple to the ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer;
• and
• a nonmagnetic cap layer.

A top-type GMR sensor overlying a uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack;

• the uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack comprising:
• nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic seed layers;
• an antiferromagnetic longitudinal pinning layer;
• the top-type GMR sensor comprising:
• a ferromagnetic sense layer formed over and in direct contact with the longitudinal pinning layer;
• a nonmagnetic conducting spacer layer formed over the ferromagnetic sense layer;
• a ferromagnetic first pinned layer formed over the nonmagnetic conducting spacer layer;
• a nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer formed over the ferromagnetic first pinned layer;
• a ferromagnetic second pinned layer formed over the nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• an antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer formed over and exchange coupled to the second ferromagnetic pinned layer;
• and
• a nonmagnetic cap layer.

A top-type GMR sensor overlying a uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack;

• the uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack comprising:
• nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic seed layers;
• an antiferromagnetic longitudinal pinning layer;
• a ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer;
• and
• a first non-magnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer formed over the ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer;
• the top-type GMR sensor comprising:
• a ferromagnetic sense layer formed over and in direct contact with the first non-magnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a nonmagnetic conducting spacer layer formed over the ferromagnetic sense layer;
• a ferromagnetic first pinned layer formed over the nonmagnetic conducting spacer layer;
• a second nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer formed over the ferromagnetic first pinned layer;
• a ferromagnetic second pinned layer formed over the second nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• an antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer formed over and exchange coupled to the second ferromagnetic pinned layer;
• and
• a nonmagnetic cap layer formed over the antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer.

A bottom-type tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor overlaid with a uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack;

• the bottom-type TMR sensor comprising:
• nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic seed layer;
• an antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer;
• a ferromagnetic first pinned layer;
• a nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a ferromagnetic second pinned layer;
• a nonmagnetic insulating barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic sense layer;
• the uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack comprising
• an anti ferromagnetic longitudinal pinning layer, in direct contact with and exchange-couple to the sense layer;
• and
• a nonmagnetic cap layer.

A bottom-type tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor overlaid with a uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack;

• the bottom-type TMR sensor comprising:
• nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic seed layer;
• an antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer;
• a ferromagnetic first pinned layer;
• a first nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a ferromagnetic second pinned layer;
• a nonmagnetic insulating barrier layer;
• and
• a ferromagnetic sense layer;
• the uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack comprising:
• a second nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer;
• an antiferromagnetic longitudinal pinning layer in direct contact with and exchange-couple to the ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer;
• and
• a nonmagnetic cap layer.

A top-type tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor overlying a uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack;

• the uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack comprising:
• nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic seed layers;
• an antiferromagnetic longitudinal pinning layer;
• the top-type TMR sensor comprising:
• a ferromagnetic sense layer in direct contact with the longitudinal pinning layer;
• a nonmagnetic insulating barrier layer;
• a ferromagnetic first pinned layer;
• a nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a ferromagnetic second pinned layer;
• an antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer exchange coupled to the second ferromagnetic pinned layer;
• and
• a nonmagnetic cap layer.

A top-type tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor overlying a uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack;

• the uniform longitudinal bias (LB) stack comprising:
• nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic seed layers;
• an antiferromagnetic longitudinal pinning layer;
• a ferromagnetic longitudinal pinned layer;
• and
• a first non-magnetic antiparallel-coupling layer;
• the top-type TMR sensor comprising:
• a ferromagnetic sense layer in direct contact with the first non-magnetic antiparallel-coupling layer;
• a nonmagnetic insulating barrier layer;
• a ferromagnetic first pinned layer;
• a second nonmagnetic antiparallel-coupling spacer layer;
• a ferromagnetic second pinned layer;
• an antiferromagnetic transverse pinning layer exchange coupled to the second ferromagnetic pinned layer;
• and
• a nonmagnetic cap layer.