Patent ID: 7697246

Claim:
A current perpendicular to plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor, comprising: a sensor stack including a magnetic free layer structure, a magnetic pinned layer structure; a non-magnetic, electrically insulating barrier layer sandwiched between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure, and a layer of antiferromagnetic material exchange coupled with and contacting the free layer, the sensor stack having a surface, and having laterally extending first and second outer portions and a center portion there between, wherein the layer of antiferromagnetic material exhibits antiferromagnetic properties in the center portion as well as in the first and second outer portions; a first overlay insulation layer extending over the surface of the sensor stack in the first outer portion of the sensor stack; a second overlay insulation layer extending over the surface of the sensor stack in the second outer portion of the sensor stack; an electrically conductive lead contacting the surface of the sensor stack in the center portion.