Patent ID: 8270125

Claim:
A magnetoresistive sensor, comprising: a magnetic pinned layer structure a magnetic free layer structure; a non-magnetic barrier layer sandwiched between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure; and a capping layer having a Face Centered Cubic (FCC) structure, the free layer structure being sandwiched between the non-magnetic barrier layer and the capping layer; wherein the free layer structure further comprises: a layer of CoFeB having a Body Centered Cubic (BCC) structure located directly adjacent to the non-magnetic barrier layer; and an amorphous, magnetic buffer layer directly adjacent to the layer of CoFeB, opposite the non-magnetic barrier layer; wherein the magnetoresistive sensor is subjected to a high temperature anneal, and wherein the amorphous buffer layer prevents the FCC grain structure of the capping layer from affecting the BCC structure of the CoFeB layer.