Patent ID: 6760966
Filing Date: 2004-07-13
Classification: B82Y,C21D,G11B,H01F,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a magnetic read head, comprising:on a lower magnetic shield depositing a first insulator layer; on said first insulator layer, forming a bottom spin valve, including a first antiferromagnetic layer, whose topmost layer is a centrally located capping layer directly beneath which is a free layer; providing said bottom spin valve with two opposing sides that slope downwards away from said capping layer; on said sloping sides depositing a first layer of nickel iron; on said first layer of nickel iron depositing a second layer of antiferromagnetic material and then heating in a longitudinally oriented magnetic field, thereby providing permanent longitudinal bias, in a first direction, to said spin valve; on said second antiferromagnetic layer, depositing a layer of non-magnetic material having a thickness that is sufficient to eliminate exchange coupling; on said layer of non-magnetic material, depositing a second layer of nickel iron that is magnetized in a direction that is anti-parallel to said first direction; on said second layer of nickel iron, depositing a conductive lead layer; on said lead layer and said capping layer, depositing a second insulator layer; and on said second insulator layer, depositing an upper magnetic shield.