Patent ID: 7288281

Claim:
A method to form an AP1 structure for a spin valve, comprising: depositing onto a substrate a first layer of cobalt-rich CoFe; depositing a first layer of iron-rich CoFe, between about 0.5 and 2 Angstroms thick, onto said first layer of cobalt-rich CoFe; depositing, on said first layer of iron-rich CoFe, a first copper layer; depositing, on said first copper layer, a second layer of iron-rich CoFe having a thickness between about 0.5 and 2 Angstroms; depositing a second layer of cobalt-rich CoFe onto said second layer of iron-rich CoFe; depositing a third layer of iron-rich CoFe, between about 0.5 and 2 Angstroms thick, onto said second layer of cobalt-rich CoFe; depositing, on said third layer of iron-rich CoFe, a second copper layer; depositing, on said second copper layer, a fourth layer of iron-rich CoFe having a thickness between about 0.5 and 2 Angstroms; and depositing a third layer of cobalt-rich CoFe onto said fourth layer of iron-rich CoFe, thereby completing formation of said AP1 layer.