Patent ID: 6914759

Claim:
A spin valve sensor for producing a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) effect on a sense current, which travels in a longitudinal direction, in response to applied magnetic fields, the sensor comprising: a first ferromagnetic free layer having a magnetization (M 1 ) in a first direction that is aligned in the longitudinal direction when in a quiescent state; a second ferromagnetic free layer having a magnetization (M 2 ) in a second direction that is anti-parallel to the first direction when in a quiescent state; a spacer layer between the first and second ferromagnetic free layers; and a permanent magnet positioned above the first and second ferromagnetic free layers opposite an air bearing surface (ABS) and producing a bias magnetic field that biases both M 1 and M 2 in a third direction that is transverse to the first and second directions thereby establishing quiescent bias states for M 1 and M 2 ; wherein M 1 and M 2 rotate about their quiescent bias states in response to an applied magnetic field.