Patent ID: 8582252
Filing Date: 2013-11-12
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistive sensor, comprising: a synthetic anti-ferromagnetic structure including a ferromagnetic reference layer comprising magnetic material and a grain refining agent, the ferromagnetic reference layer having a grain-refined reference layer surface; a thin film stack adjacent the grain-refined reference layer surface, the thin film stack having a stack surface that conforms to the grain-refined reference layer surface; a seed layer supporting the synthetic anti-ferromagnetic structure; and a shield layer formed of magnetic material supporting the seed layer, wherein the reference layer is a laminated structure having a plurality of layers, and wherein a first one of the plurality of layers of the laminated structure comprises the magnetic material with the grain refining agent, and wherein a second one of the plurality of layers of the laminated structure is without a grain refining agent.