Patent ID: 7446987

Claim:
A hard bias structure for providing a longitudinal bias to a free layer in a magnetoresistive (MR) element having two sides formed perpendicular to an air bearing surface (ABS), said hard bias structure is formed on a substrate and comprises: (a) a soft magnetic underlayer formed adjacent to a portion of each of the two sides of the MR element, said soft magnetic underlayer is comprised of FeTaN or FeAIN and has a magnetic moment and thickness; and (b) a hard bias layer adjoining the soft magnetic underlayer and having a magnetic moment that enables a rigid exchange coupling with the soft magnetic underlayer, said hard bias layer has a thickness greater than the soft magnetic underlayer thickness and forms an abutting junction with said free layer on each side of the MR element, and said hard bias layer is comprised of FePt or Co X Cr Y Pt Z in which X, Y, and Z are the atomic % of Co, Cr, and Pt, respectively, and wherein X +Y +Z =100 and X is from about 50 to 80, Y is between 0 and about 20, and Z is from 0 to about 50.