Patent ID: 6636397
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: B82Y,G11B

Abstract:
A magnetic read head which has an air bearing surface (ABS), comprising:a spin valve sensor including: a ferromagnetic pinned layer that has a magnetic moment; a pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer for pinning the magnetic moment of the pinned layer; a free layer; and a nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer located between the free layer and the pinned layer structure; the spin valve sensor being partially bounded by top and bottom surfaces and first and second side surfaces which intersect the ABS; first and second hard bias layers abutting the first and second side surfaces respectively of the spin valve sensor; first and second lead layers connected to the spin valve sensor for conducting a sense current transversely therethrough; the spin valve sensor having a transverse length between the first and second side surfaces which is divided into a track width region between first and second passive regions wherein the track width region is defined by a space between said first and second lead layers; the free layer having first and second passive portions in the first and second passive regions which have first and second surfaces respectively; and first and second antiferromagnetic (AFM) layers exchange coupled to said first and second surfaces for longitudinally biasing the first and second passive portions of the free layer.