Patent ID: 7040005
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for forming a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) GMR sensor of improved sensitivity comprising: providing a substrate, said substrate being a lower magnetic shield and first current lead layer having a first width and first surface area; forming an antiferromagnetic (AFM) pinning layer on said substrate, said pinning layer being contiguous and congruent with said substrate; forming a current channeling layer (CCL) on said AFM layer, said CCL being contiguous and congruent with said AFM layer and said CCL being formed of a highly conductive ferromagnetic material; forming a patterned GMR stack centrally disposed on said CCL, said GMR stack being patterned to have a second width, W, which is less than said first width and a second surface area which is less than said first surface area and said patterned GMR stack being magnetically coupled to said AFM layer; forming an upper magnetic shield and second current lead layer on said GMR stack, said second current lead layer having said first width and said first surface area; and wherein said second width, W, is the sensor track width.