Patent ID: 7827674

Claim:
A method for providing a giant magneto-resistive (GMR) sensor for use in sensing magnetic flux, the method comprising: positioning a layer of Cu material between first and second layers of a specified ferromagnetic material, wherein respective end surfaces of the Cu layer and the first and second layers are initially located in a common plane, in co-planar relationship with one another; removing an amount of material from the Cu layer to form a new end surface of the Cu layer that is selectively spaced apart from the common plane; and applying a protective coating to the new end surface of the Cu layer, to inhibit corrosion of the Cu layer, wherein the first and second layers each comprises metallic ferromagnetic layers and/or alloys containing Ni, Fe, Co, or combinations thereof, selectively, wherein the Cu layer and the first and second layers are placed between a selected number of other layers to form a stack, the other layers comprising one or more materials selected from a group comprising metallic ferromagnetic layers containing Ni, Fe, Co, or combinations thereof and manganese based antiferromagnetic alloys, ruthenium and tantalum, the layers of the stack collectively comprising a spin valve device, and wherein the protective coating is applied to the new end surface of the Cu layer by entrainment of material removed from other layers of the stack.