Patent ID: 6816346
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A spin valve recording head, comprising:a first dielectric layer on a magnetic shield; on said first dielectric layer, a GMR enhancing seed layer; on said seed layer, a first antiferromagnetic layer; on said first antiferromagnetic layer, a bottom spin valve pedestal that further comprises a capping layer on a free layer on a non-magnetic spacer layer on a pinned layer, said pedestal having sidewalls that slope outwards away from the capping layer; a part of the pinned layer, away from the capping layer, having been removed; on the sidewalls, a decoupling layer that is between about 30 and 50 Angstroms thick; on the decoupling layer only, a first layer of soft ferromagnetic material; on said first layer of soft ferromagnetic material only, a second antiferromagnetic layer; on the second antiferromagnetic layer, a conductive lead layer that overlaps the first soft ferromagnetic and second antiferromagnetic layers and contacts the capping layer; and on the capping layer and conductive layer, a second dielectric layer.