Patent ID: 6108177
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F

Abstract:
A tunnel junction sensor that has an air bearing surface (ABS) comprising:an electrically conductive first shield layer;an electrically conductive antiferromagnetic pinning layer that has magnetic spins oriented in a first predetermined direction;an electrically conductive ferromagnetic alloy pinned layer exchange coupled to the pinning layer so that a magnetic moment of the pinned layer is pinned in the first predetermined direction;an electrically conductive ferromagnetic alloy free layer of iron nitride (FeN) that has a magnetic moment in a second predetermined direction, the second predetermined direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the magnetic moment being free to rotate relative to the second predetermined direction in response to an applied magnetic field;an insulating spacer layer disposed between the pinned layer and the free layer; andan electrically conductive second shield layer.