Patent ID: 7103963

Claim:
A method for fabricating a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensor for use in a magnetic read head having an air bearing surface (ABS), the method comprising the unordered steps of: (a) forming a MTJ stack with an active region disposed at the ABS and having two opposite sides each disposed generally orthogonally to the ABS, including the unordered steps of: (a.1) forming an antiferromanetic (AFM) layer, (a.2) forming a pinned layer of ferromagnetic (FM) material in contact with the AFM layer, (a.3) forming a free layer of FM material, (a.4) forming a tunnel junction layer of electrically nonconductive material disposed between the pinned layer and the free layer, and (a.5) removing all material outside of the active region from the AFM layer, the pinned layer, and the tunnel junction layer to define the two opposite sides of the active region; and (b) forming a longitudinal bias layer outside of the active region in contact with the free layer for biasing the magnetic moment of the free layer in substantially a predetermined direction in the absence of an external magnetic field, the bias layer comprising an AFM material.