Patent ID: 7413636

Claim:
A method of fabricating a dual spin valve (SV) sensor which comprises the steps of: sputter deposting the multilayer dual SV sensor including a first spin valve (SV) stack, a second spin valve (SV) stack and a longitudinal bias stack disposed between the first and second SV stacks the first spin valve stack including a first magnetic free layer, and the second spin valve stack including a second magnetic free layer; wherein said depositing a longitudinal bias stack further comprises: depositing a first decoupling layer adjacent to the first magnetic free layer; depositing a first ferromagnetic layer; depositing a layer of antiferromagnetic material; depositing a second ferromagnetic layer; and depositing a second decoupling layer; the first decoupling layer being deposited to such a thickness to magnetostatically couple the first ferromagnetic layer and the first magnetic free layer and sufficiently thick to avoid exchange coupling the first ferromagnetic layer with the first magnetic free layer; the second decoupling layer being deposited to such a thickness to magnetostatically couple the second ferromagnetic layer and the second magnetic free layer and sufficiently thick to avoid exchange coupling the second ferromagnetic layer with the second magnetic free layer; annealing the dual SV sensor at a first temperature in a first magnetic field oriented in a transverse direction perpendicular to an air bearing surface; and annealing the dual SV sensor at a second temperature in a second magnetic field oriented in a longitudinal direction parallel to said air bearing surface, wherein said second temperature is less than said first temperature and said second magnetic field has a magnitude smaller than said first magnetic field.