Patent ID: 6219212
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F

Abstract:
A magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensor, comprising:a substrate;a first shield (S1) of ferromagnetic material formed on the substrate;a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensor stripe formed on said first shield, the MTJ sensor stripe having a generally rectangular shape and having two opposite side edges, a back edge and a front edge, said MTJ sensor stripe comprising:an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer of electrically insulating antiferromagnetic material;a pinned layer of ferromagnetic material in contact with said AFM layer, said pinned layer making electrical contact with said first shield;a free layer of ferromagnetic material;a tunnel junction layer of electrically insulating material disposed between said pinned and free layers;a second shield (S2) of ferromagnetic material formed on and in contact with said MTJ sensor stripe; andan insulator layer formed on the first shield on opposite sides of said MTJ sensor stripe and on said pinned layer beyond the back edge of said MTJ sensor stripe, said insulator layer separating said first shield and said pinned layer from said second shield.