Patent ID: 6542342
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B

Abstract:
A magnetoresistive effect transducer comprising:a substrate; a lower magnetic shield layer formed on said substrate; a pair of longitudinal bias layers formed on said lower magnetic layer; a free layer formed on said lower magnetic shield layer and said longitudinal bias layers; a non-magnetic layer formed on said free layer between said longitudinal bias layers, said non-magnetic layer being made of one of insulating material and conductive material; a patterned pinned layer formed on said non-magnetic layer; a patterned pinning layer, formed on said patterned pinned layer, for providing an anisotropic exchange coupling with said patterned pinned layer; an insulating layer formed on said patterned non-magnetic layer on sides of said patterned pinned layer and said patterned pinning layer; an upper magnetic shield layer formed on said patterned pinning layer and said insulating layer; and at least one of a lower electrode layer and an upper electrode layer, said lower electrode layer being inserted between said lower magnetic shield layer and said free layer, said upper electrode being inserted between said pinning and said upper magnetic shield, a sense current flowing between said free layer and said patterned pinned layer through said non-magnetic layer.