Magnetic head having a soft magnetic layer with a close-packed plane thereof being parallel or oblique to an air bearing surface

Abstract

In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a magnetoresistive sensor having a free layer and a soft magnetic layer adapted to control a magnetization direction of the free layer and a magnetic domain of the free layer, wherein a close-packed plane of the soft magnetic layer is positioned parallel to an air bearing surface (ABS) of the magnetic head. In another embodiment, a method for forming a magnetic head includes forming a magnetoresistive sensor having a free layer above a substrate and forming a soft magnetic layer adapted to control a magnetization direction of the free layer and a magnetic domain of the free layer, wherein a close-packed plane of the soft magnetic layer is positioned parallel or oblique to an ABS of the magnetic head.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.