Patent ID: 6350487
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F

Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a spin-valve thin film element, said spin-valve thin film element pinned magnetic layer, said non-magnetic electrically conductive layer comprising a substrate, an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer formed in contact with said antiferromagnetic layer, a magnetization direction of said pinned magnetic layer being fixed by an exchange anisotropic magnetic field between said pinned magnetic layer and said antiferromagnetic layer, a free magnetic layer formed on said pinned magnetic layer with a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer therebetween, a bias layer to align a magnetization direction of said free magnetic layer in a direction perpendicular to the magnetization direction of said pinned magnetic layer, and an electrically conductive layer to apply a sensing current into said, and said free magnetic layer, said method comprising:forming one of a multi-layered film including said antiferromagnetic layer, said pinned magnetic layer, said non-magnetic electrically conductive layer, and said free magnetic layer, in that order from the substrate, a multi-layered film including said free magnetic layer, said non-magnetic electrically conductive layer, said pinned magnetic layer, and said antiferromagnetic layer, in that order from the substrate, and a multi-layered film including said antiferromagnetic layer, said pinned magnetic layer, said non-magnetic electrically conductive layer, said free magnetic layer, a second non-magnetic electrically conductive layer, a second pinned magnetic layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer, in that order from the substrate; magnetically annealing the multi-layered film at a temperature T1 such that a magnetization of said pinned magnetic layer is adjusted to a direction inclined in relation to a direction of the leakage magnetic field from a recording medium; patterning said multi-layered film into a predetermined shape, and forming a bias layer on both sides of said multi-layered film, said bias layer having a coercive force that enables a permanent magnet; magnetizing said bias layer in the same direction as that of the leakage magnetic field from the recording medium at a lower temperature than said temperature T1; annealing the multi-layered film without applying a magnetic field at a temperature T2 such that the magnetization of said pinned magnetic layer in end regions in relation to a track width of the multi-layered film is adjusted to the same direction as that of the leakage magnetic field from the recording medium; and magnetizing said bias layer in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the leakage magnetic field from the recording medium at a lower temperature than said temperature T2.