Patent ID: 7593196

Claim:
A magnetic read head, comprising: at least one composite ferromagnetic pinned layer structure comprising a first layer of cobalt iron and a second layer of cobalt iron separated by a spacer layer, a percentage of iron in the first layer of cobalt iron being in the range of 20-40% and a percentage of iron in the second layer of cobalt iron being different than the percentage of iron in the first layer of cobalt iron; at least one iridium manganese (IrMn) alloy pinning layer, exchange coupled to the at least one pinned layer structure, for pinning the magnetic moment of the at least one pinned layer structure; a free layer having a first magnetization that is free to rotate; and at least one nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer, the at least one nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer located between the free layer and the at least one ferromagnetic pinned layer structure; wherein the first cobalt iron layer of the composite ferromagnetic pinned layer structure is formed on the at least one iridium manganese alloy pinning layer and is lapped to provide a stress-induced anisotropy perpendicular to an air-bearing surface to support exchange coupling between the first cobalt iron layer of the at least one composite ferromagnetic pinned layer structure and the at least one iridium manganese alloy pinning layer, wherein the first and second cobalt iron layers of the composite pinned layer structure have an equal thickness.