Patent ID: 7042684

Claim:
A method for forming bottom spin valve (BSV) giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor of the spin filter spin-valve (SFSV) type having a high-conductance layer, a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SyAF) pinned layer and a naturally oxidized specularly reflecting layer, comprising: providing a substrate; forming on the substrate a bottom spin valve stack, said formation further comprising: forming a buffer layer; forming an antiferromagnetic pinning layer on said buffer layer; forming a synthetic antiferromagnetic (SyAF) pinned layer on said pinning layer; forming a spacer layer on said SyAF pinned layer; forming an oxygen surfactant layer on said spacer layer; forming a free layer as a composite layer of ferromagnetic material on said oxygen surfactant layer; forming a high-conductance layer (HCL) on said free layer; forming, in-situ, a naturally oxidized specularly reflecting layer on said HCL the formation further comprising: forming a layer of Ta on said HCL; exposing said Ta layer to a certain pressure of oxygen in a TIM module, for an amount of time sufficient to completely oxidize said layer; then forming a capping layer on said specularly reflecting layer; and then magnetizing said pinned layer in a direction transverse to an air bearing surface plane of said sensor.