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US 6,188,550 B1Granted
Self-longitudinally biased magnetoresistive read transducer
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRobert Edward Fontana, Jr., Frances Anne Houle, Ching Hwa Tsang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic structure, such as a magnetoresistive sensor, having a continuous multi-region magnetic layer in which the magnetic and electrical characteristics of each region is locally defined. In the preferred embodiment, the continuous multi-region magnetic layer has high coercivity end regions separated by a low coercivity central region.
Claims19
A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer comprising:
- a single elongated continuous layer of MR magnetic material, said layer of MR magnetic material having high coercivity end regions separated by a low coercivity central region, said high coercivity end regions alone providing hard magnetic longitudinal bias for the MR read transducer.
A layered magnetic structure, comprising:
- a substrate;
- an underlayer of a first material over said substrate;
- a continuous layer of magnetic material over said underlayer, said magnetic layer having high coercivity end regions separated by a low coercivity central region, said high coercivity end regions alone providing hard magnetic longitudinal bias for said continuous layer of magnetic material;
- and
- an overlayer of a second material directly over said low coercivity central region.
2 more elements
A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having end regions separated by a central region, comprising:
- a substrate;
- an underlayer of a first material formed over said substrate;
- a magnetic bias layer formed over said underlayer;
- a nonmagnetic spacer layer formed over said magnetic bias layer only in said central region;
- a continuous MR layer formed over said bias layer and said spacer layer, said MR layer separated from said bias layer by said spacer layer in said central region and in contact with said bias layer in said end regions, said MR layer having high coercivity end regions separated by a low coercivity central region, said high coercivity end regions alone providing hard magnetic longitudinal bias for the MR sensor;
- and
- an overlayer of a second material formed directly over said central region of said magnetic layer.
4 more elements
A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer, comprising:
- a single continuous layer of MR material, said continuous layer of MR material having high coercivity end regions separated from each other by a low coercivity central region, said high coercivity end regions of said MR material alone longitudinally biasing said low coercivity central region.
A layered magnetic structure, comprising:
- an underlayer of a first nonmagnetic material;
- a continuous layer of magnetic material over said underlayer, said continuous layer of magnetic material having high coercivity end regions separated from each other by a low coercivity central region, said high coercivity end regions of said magnetic material alone longitudinally biasing said low coercivity central region;
- and
- an overlayer of a second nonmagnetic material directly over said low coercivity central region.
1 more element
A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having end regions separated by a central region, comprising:
- an underlayer of a first nonmagnetic material;
- a magnetic bias layer formed over said underlayer;
- a nonmagnetic spacer layer formed over said magnetic bias layer only in said central region;
- a continuous MR layer formed over said bias layer and said spacer layer, said MR layer separated from said bias layer by said spacer layer in said central region and in contact with said bias layer in said end regions, said MR layer having high coercivity end regions separated from each other by a low coercivity central region, said high coercivity end regions of said MR layer alone longitudinally biasing said low coercivity central region;
- and
- an overlayer of a second nonmagnetic material formed directly over said low coercivity central region.
3 more elements
A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer, comprising:
- a single continuous layer of MR material, said continuous layer of MR material having low permeability end regions separated from each other by a low coercivity central region, said low permeability end regions alone longitudinally biasing said low coercivity central region.
A layered magnetic structure, comprising:
- an underlayer of a first nonmagnetic material;
- a continuous layer of magnetic material over said underlayer, said continuous layer of magnetic layer having low permeability end regions separated from each other by a low coercivity central region, said low permeability end regions alone longitudinally biasing said low coercivity central region;
- and
- an overlayer of a second nonmagnetic material directly over said low coercivity central region.
1 more element
A magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having end regions separated by a central region, comprising:
- an underlayer of a first nonmagnetic material;
- a magnetic bias layer formed over said underlayer;
- a nonmagnetic spacer layer formed over said magnetic bias layer only in said central region;
- a continuous MR layer formed over said bias layer and said spacer layer, said MR layer separated from said bias layer by said spacer layer in said central region and in contact with said bias layer in said end regions, said MR layer having low permeability end regions separated from each other by a low coercivity central region, said low permeability end regions alone longitudinally biasing said low coercivity central region;
- and
- an overlayer of a second nonmagnetic material formed directly over said low coercivity central region.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.