Patent ID: 7663846
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistive sensor having an air bearing surface (ABS), comprising: a sensor stack including a pinned layer, a free layer and a non-magnetic, electrically conductive spacer layer sandwiched between the free layer and the pinned layer; first and second leads formed over the sensor stack and terminating at inner edges that determine a first width; wherein the sensor stack extends laterally, terminating at first and second laterally opposed sides that define a second width that is larger than the first width; and first and second hard bias layers located adjacent to the first and second laterally opposed sides of the sensor stack; wherein the free layer terminates at a stripe height distance as measured from the ABS; and the pinned has an extended portion that extends beyond the first stripe height distance to a second stripe height distance that is greater than the first stripe height distance as measured from the ABS.