US 7,002,782 B2 · Magnetic sensing element biased by two antiferromagnetic layers above free magnetic layer and two hard bias layers at two sides of the free magnetic layer, and method for making the same

Abstract

A magnetic sensing element comprising a stably magnetized free magnetic layer is provided. Hard bias layers are disposed at the two sides of the free magnetic layer, and a third antiferromagnetic layer is disposed on the free magnetic layer. Side regions of the free magnetic layer extending beyond the track width are overlaid by second antiferromagnetic layers with the third antiferromagnetic layer therebetween. The magnetization directions of the side regions of the free magnetic layer are pinned in the track width direction by a synergetic effect of the exchange coupling magnetic fields generated between the side regions of the free magnetic layer and the third antiferromagnetic layer and the longitudinal bias magnetic fields from the hard bias layers.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A magnetic sensing element comprising:

a composite film having side regions and a center region, comprising, in order from the bottom to top:
a first antiferromagnetic layer;
a pinned magnetic layer;
a nonmagnetic material layer;
and
a free magnetic layer;
two second antiferromagnetic layers disposed above the side regions of the free magnetic layer;
a nonmagnetic layer disposed in a gap between the second antiferromagnetic layers in a track width direction;
two hard bias layers provided against at least part of two side faces of the free magnetic layer in the track width direction;
and
a third antiferromagnetic layer disposed on the free magnetic layer, the second antiferromagnetic layers being formed over the side regions of the third antiferromagnetic layer and the hard bias layers.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/437,219Filed 13 May 2003

Priority

JP 2002-13856614 May 2002

Published

US 2004/0008455 A115 Jan 2004

Granted

21 Feb 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G11B 5/3932
Disposition of magnetic thin films not used for directly coupling magnetic flux from the track to the MR film or for shielding: magnetic biasing films
B82Y 10/00
Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission
B82Y 25/00
Nanomagnetism
G01R 33/093
Magnetoresistive devices: using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors

Magnetic sensing element biased by two antiferromagnetic layers above free magnetic layer and two hard bias layers at two sides of the free magnetic layer, and method for making the same

Life of this patent

Magnetic sensing element biased by two antiferromagnetic layers above free magnetic layer and two hard bias layers at two sides of the free magnetic layer, and method for making the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5