Composed free layer for stabilizing magnetoresistive head having low magnetostriction
First Claim
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1. A magnetic sensor for reading a recording medium and having a spin valve, comprising:
- a free layer having an magnetization direction adjustable in response to an external field;
a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization;
a spacer sandwiched between said pinned layer and said free layer; and
an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer positioned on a surface of said pinned layer opposite said spacer, that stabilizes said fixed magnetization, wherein at least one of said free layer and said pinned layer comprises a first CoFeOx layer sandwiched between a first CoFe layer and a second CoFe layer.
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Abstract
A magnetoresistive read head includes a spin valve having at least one free layer spaced apart from at least one pinned layer by a spacer. The free layer includes a thin CoFeOx lamination layer in the CoFe, and an optional Cu layer. The amount of oxygen is below 10% of total gas. The pinned layer is a single layer, or a synthetic multi-layered structure having a spacer between sub-layers, and may have the foregoing low-magnetostriction material. As a result, low magnetostriction is obtained to improve read quality and/or improve the pinned field of the pinned layer. Other parameters are not adversely affected.
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19 Claims
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1. A magnetic sensor for reading a recording medium and having a spin valve, comprising:
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a free layer having an magnetization direction adjustable in response to an external field;
a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization;
a spacer sandwiched between said pinned layer and said free layer; and
an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer positioned on a surface of said pinned layer opposite said spacer, that stabilizes said fixed magnetization, wherein at least one of said free layer and said pinned layer comprises a first CoFeOx layer sandwiched between a first CoFe layer and a second CoFe layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification