Patent ID: 6775111
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: B82Y,G11B,H01F

Abstract:
A magnetic read head comprising:a spin valve sensor including: a ferromagnetic free layer having a magnetization that is free to rotate from a first direction in response to a signal field; a ferromagnetic pinned layer having a magnetization; a nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer sandwiched between the free layer and the pinned layer; an antiferromagnetic pinning layer in contact with the pinned layer and exchange coupled to the pinned layer for pinning the magnetization of the pinned layer; and a trilayer seed layer structure comprising: a first seed layer comprising nickel oxide (NiO); a third seed layer, comprising copper (Cu), directly underlying and in contact with the ferromagnetic free layer; and a second seed layer, comprising nickel manganese oxide (NiMnOx), sandwiched between the first seed layer and the third seed layer.