Patent ID: 6783635
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: B82Y,G11B,H01F,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of making a magnetic read head, which includes a spin valve sensor, comprising the steps of:a making of the spin valve sensor comprising the steps of: forming a free layer structure that has a magnetic moment and an easy axis; forming a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure that has a magnetic moment; forming a pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning the magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure; forming a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure; forming the free layer structure by obliquely ion beam sputtering at least one cobalt or cobalt based layer in the presence of a magnetic field oriented in a direction of said easy axis; and the oblique ion beam sputtering being at angles &agr;=40Â° and &bgr;=10Â°-30Â°, wherein angles &agr; and &bgr; form first and second planes respectively which are orthogonal with respect to one another.