Patent ID: 6594124
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a bottom spin valve, comprising:on a dielectric layer, depositing a first antiferromagnetic layer; on the first antiferromagnetic layer, forming a pinned layer that has been magnetized in a first direction; on the pinned layer, depositing a non-magnetic spacer layer; on the spacer layer, depositing a free layer having an easy axis in a second direction; on the free layer, depositing a capping layer; on the capping layer, depositing a soft ferromagnetic layer; on the soft ferromagnetic layer, depositing a second antiferromagnetic layer; patterning the soft ferromagnetic and second antiferromagnetic layers to form a pair of opposing stripes separated by a spacing; annealing said pair of stripes in a magnetic field having a third direction that is between said first and second directions, thereby causing said free layer, through magnetostatic interaction with said soft ferromagnetic layer, to have a magnetic bias whose direction is between that of said easy axis and said pinned layer magnetization; and selectively coating said stripes with conductive material to form a pair of conductive leads.