Magnetic sensor having an aluminum-nitride seed layer for an anti-ferromagnetic layer

A magnetic sensor that is disposed between top and bottom magnetic shield layers, the sensor comprising:

• a nonferromagnetic layer disposed beneath the top shield layer;
• a magnetically soft layer disposed beneath the nonferromagnetic layer, the magnetically soft layer having a magnetization that rotates in response to an applied magnetic field;
• a ferromagnetic pinned layer disposed beneath the magnetically soft layer;
• an antiferromagnetic layer disposed beneath the ferromagnetic layer, the antiferromagnetic layer containing manganese;
• and
• a seed layer structure disposed between the antiferromagnetic layer and the bottom shield layer, the seed layer structure including an aluminum-nitride layer and a layer containing chromium.

A magnetic sensor that is disposed between top and bottom magnetic shield layers, the sensor comprising:

• a nonferromagnetic layer disposed beneath the top shield layer;
• a magnetically soft layer disposed beneath the nonferromagnetic layer, the magnetically soft layer having a magnetization that rotates in response to an applied magnetic field;
• a ferromagnetic pinned layer disposed beneath the magnetically soft layer;
• an antiferromagnetic layer disposed beneath the ferromagnetic layer, the antiferromagnetic layer containing a plurality of crystal grains;
• and
• an aluminum-nitride layer disposed between the antiferromagnetic layer and the bottom shield layer, the aluminum-nitride layer having a thickness that is less than one hundred angstroms.