Patent ID: 6913836
Filing Date: 2005-07-05
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A spin-valve magnetoresistive sensor comprising, on a substrate, an antiferromagnetic layer; a pinned magnetic layer formed in contact with said antiferromagnetic layer and having a magnetization direction made stationary under an exchange anisotropic magnetic field generated by interaction with said antiferromagnetic layer; a free magnetic layer divided into a first free magnetic layer disposed farther away from the pinned magnetic layer and a second free magnetic layer disposed closer to the pinned magnetic layer; a non-magnetic intermediate layer interposed between the first free magnetic layer and the second free magnetic layer, and the first magnetic layer having recesses formed therein, the recesses formed only in the first free magnetic layer; a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer formed between said free magnetic layer and said pinned magnetic layer; soft magnetic layers that are arranged on said first free magnetic layer having a spacing between said soft magnetic layers corresponding to a track width defined at a level at which said soft magnetic layers fill the recesses in the first free magnetic layer; bias layers formed on said soft magnetic layers to uniformly arrange a magnetization direction of said free magnetic layer in a direction crossing the magnetization direction of said pinned magnetic layer; and electrically conductive layers formed on the bias layers to apply a detection electric current to said free magnetic layer, wherein a thickness of said soft magnetic layers exceeds a depth of the recesses, and said antiferromagnetic layer and said bias layer each comprising an alloy containing Mn and at least one element selected from a group consisting of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, Os, Au, Ag, Cr, Ni, Ne, Ar, Xe, and Kr, and wherein said first and second free magnetic layers are held a ferrimagnetic state in which the first and second layers are magnetized in directions 180° different from each other.