Patent ID: 6665155
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A magnetic read head which has an air bearing surface (ABS), comprising:a spin valve sensor including: a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure that has a magnetic moment; a pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning the magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure; a free layer structure; a nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer located between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure; the free layer structure including: a first free layer composed of cobalt or cobalt iron that interfaces the spacer layer; a second free layer composed of cobalt niobium or cobalt niobium hafnium wherein the cobalt is at least 90%; and the second free layer having a negative magnetostriction which at least partially counterbalances a positive magnetostriction of a remainder of the free layer structure.