Patent ID: 6972934

Claim:
A top spin valve magnetoresistive (SVMR) sensor element having an ultra-thin synthetic, strongly coupled antiferromagnetically pinned (SyAP) layer and thin antiferromagnetic pinning layer, suitable for high linear density applications, comprising: a substrate; a seed layer having magnetoresistive enhancing properties; a first ferromagnetic layer, which is a ferromagnetic free layer, formed on said seed layer; a first metallic, non-magnetic spacer layer formed on said first ferromagnetic layer; an ultra-thin strongly coupled, synthetic antiferromagnetically pinned (SyAP) layer formed on said first spacer layer, said pinned layer comprising a second ferromagnetic layer (AP 1 ), an ultra-thin non-magnetic second spacer layer that can be either a layer of Ru having a thickness between approximately 3 and 4 angstroms or a layer of Rh having a thickness between approximately 4 and 6 angstroms, formed on said second ferromagnetic layer, and a third ferromagnetic layer (AP 2 ) formed on said second spacer layer, the two ferromagnetic layers having mutually antiparallel magnetizations and being strongly coupled through said spacer layer and forming, thereby, a tri-layered pinned layer configuration having antiparallel magnetizations; an ultra-thin antiferromagnetic pinning layer formed on said pinned layer and strongly coupled thereto; a capping layer formed on said ultra-thin antiferromagnetic pinning layer.