Patent ID: 7280326

Claim:
A current perpendicular to plane (CPP) giant magnetoresistive (GMR) senor, comprising: a first magnetic pinned layer structure; a magnetic free layer structure; a second magnetic pinned layer structure, the magnetic free layer structure being located between the first and second pinned layer structures; a first non-magnetic electrically conductive spacer layer separating the first magnetic pinned layer structure from the magnetic free layer structure; a second nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer separating the second pinned layer structure from the magnetic free layer structure; the free layer structure further comprising: a first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer; and a third magnetic layer; wherein the second magnetic layer is located between the first and third magnetic layers; a first layer of non-magnetic electrically conductive antiparallel coupling material is sandwiched between the first and second magnetic layers; a second layer of non-magnetic, electrically conductive antiparallel coupling material is sandwiched between the second and third magnetic layers; and the second magnetic layer is partially oxidized.