Patent ID: 7171741
Filing Date: 2007-02-06
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a spin valve sensor, comprising: forming a first pinned layer with a top surface, bottom surface and sides orthogonal to the top and bottom surface and having a first magnetic orientation and a first width; forming a second pinned layer with sides orthogonal to the top and bottom surface of the first pinned layer and having a second magnetic orientation anti-parallel to the first magnetic orientation and a second width; forming a sensing layer with sides orthogonal to the top and bottom surface of the first pinned layer and having a third width smaller than the first width; and forming a spacer layer with sides orthogonal to the top and bottom surface of the first pinned layer and having a width equal to the second width; wherein the third width is selected to coincide with a predetermined track width, the first width being selected to be wider than the predetermined track width.