Patent ID: 7180716

Claim:
A stitched in-stack stabilized CPP synthetic spin-valve sensor comprising: a multi-layered pillar type synthetic spin-valve formation, said pillar being defined by a common and uniform lateral cross-section of all included layers and said formation having a longitudinally magnetized ferromagnetic free layer as its uppermost layer; a decoupling layer formed on said free layer, said decoupling layer having the same lateral cross-sectional area as said spin-valve formation; a longitudinal bias layer (LBL) formed on said decoupling layer, said LBL having the same lateral cross-section as said decoupling layer; a multi-layer formation stitched onto said LBL, said formation being characterized by a larger lateral cross-section than said LBL and said formation including: a synthetic exchange tri-layer formation; an antiferromagnetic pinning layer formed on said tri-layer formation; a capping and conducting lead layer formed on said pinning layer; and wherein said tri-layered structure and said LBL are longitudinally magnetized and strongly exchange coupled to said free layer and, thereby, stabilize it.