公开(公告)号：GB2275360A

公开(公告)日：1994-08-24

申请号：GB9401189

申请日：1994-01-21

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： CHEN MAO-MIN ,  GALLAGHER TIMOTHY JOSEPH ,  WANG PO-KANG

IPC: G01R33/09 ,  G11B5/03 ,  G11B5/39 ,  H01L43/08

Abstract: In a magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer 10 a soft magnetic layer 18 and an MR layer 24 extend over a central active region 12 and passive end regions 14, 16 of the transducer. A nonmagnetic spacer layer 22 separates the soft magnetic film layer 18 and MR layer 24 and extends over the central active region and at least part of both passive end regions. An antiferromagnetic layer 26 directly contacts the MR layer 24 only in the end regions and produces an exchange bias field between the antiferromagnetic layer 26 and the MR layer 24 that is oriented at a preselected acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the transducer, e.g. 40 - 450, thereby causing the MR layer 24 to be oriented at the preselected acute angle and the soft magnetic film layer in 18 the passive end regions being transversely oriented by magnetostatic coupling to the MR layer 24. To fabricate the transducer, the antiferromagnetic layer 26 is annealed in an external field above the Neel temperature to produce the canted exchange bias field. As a result of the canting, the magnetic moments of the central active region and the passive end regions are matched during a read operation.

公开(公告)号：GB2275360B

公开(公告)日：1996-07-17

申请号：GB9401189

申请日：1994-01-21

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： CHEN MAO-MIN ,  GALLAGHER TIMOTHY JOSEPH ,  WANG PO-KANG

IPC: G01R33/09 ,  G11B5/03 ,  G11B5/39 ,  H01L43/08

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer and method of fabricating same. A soft magnetic layer and an MR layer extend over a central active region and passive end regions of the transducer. A nonmagnetic spacer layer separates the soft magnetic film layer and MR layer and extends over the central active region and at least part of both passive end regions. An antiferromagnetic layer directly contacts the MR layer only in the end regions and produces an exchange bias field between the antiferromagnetic layer and the MR layer that is oriented at a preselected acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the transducer. This results in the MR layer being oriented at the preselected acute angle and the soft magnetic film layer in the passive end regions being transversely oriented by magnetostatic coupling to the MR layer. To fabricate the transducer, the antiferromagnetic layer is annealed in an external field above the Neel temperature to produce the canted exchange bias field. As a result of the canting, the magnetic moments of the central active region and the passive end regions are matched during a read operation.