Patent ID: 6317298
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: B82Y,G11B

Abstract:
A read head including a spin valve sensor comprising:the spin valve sensor including:a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure having a magnetic moment;an antiferromagnetic (AFM) pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning the magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure;a ferromagnetic free layer structure having a magnetic moment that is free to rotate in response to signal fields;a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer located between the pinned and free layer structures;a ferromagnetic keeper layer;a nonmagnetic conductive specular reflector layer structure located between and interfacing the keeper layer and the free layer structure;the specular reflector layer structure being a bilayer specular reflector structure including first and second specular reflector layers; andthe first and second specular reflector layers being composed of different materials selected from a group consisting of copper (Cu), gold (Au) and silver (Ag).