Patent ID: 6392850
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B

Abstract:
A magnetoresistive transducer for providing assertive and complementary signals, comprising:a common bias layer of an antiferromagnetic material, said layer having a first surface magnetized in a first direction, and a second surface magnetized in a second direction wherein said common layer is an exchange biased means for use in an anisotropic magnetoresistive head; an assertive transducer portion having a first layer of ferromagnetic material disposed in contact with said first surface, said first layer of ferromagnetic material being magnetically biased by said common antiferromagnetic layer substantially along said first direction; and a complementary transducer portion having a second layer of ferromagnetic material disposed in contact with said second surface, said second layer of ferromagnetic material being magnetically biased by said common antiferromagnetic layer substantially along said second direction; said common bias layer providing both longitudinal and transverse magnetic biases to said assertive and complementary transducer portions; including a current source connected to said first and second layers of ferromagnetic material for providing current to generate magnetic fields so that the uniaxial anisotropy in said first and second ferromagnetic layers can be rotated concurrently to different non-parallel directions respectively; a first conductive lead connected between said current source and said ferromagnetic layer of said assertive portion; and a second conductive lead connected between said current source and said ferromagnetic layer of said complementary portion; wherein said common layer of antiferromagnetic material comprises first and second sublayers of antiferromagnetic material, including a nonmagnetic sublayer disposed between said first and second sublayers of antiferromagnetic material, each of said sublayers of antiferromagnetic material being disposed parallel to said nonmagnetic sublayer, and a conducting layer disposed between said sublayers of antiferromagnetic material and said nonmagnetic sublayer.