公开(公告)号：SG79217A1

公开(公告)日：2001-03-20

申请号：SG1997002735

申请日：1997-07-31

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： HARDAYAL SINGH GILL ,  BRUCE A GURNEY ,  JOSEPH FRANCIS SMYTH ,  VIRGIL SIMON SPERIOSU ,  DOUGLAS JOHNSON WERNER

IPC: G11B5/00 ,  G11B5/012 ,  G11B5/39

Abstract: An orthogonal spin valve read head is provided wherein a spin valve sensor is asymmetrically located between first and second shield layers so that image currents in the first and second shield layers produce a resultant image field which partially or completely counterbalances a stiffening field from antiferromagnetic, pinned and spacer layers in the MR sensor when sense current is conducted therethrough. Accordingly, the spin valve sensor may be located a greater distance from the second shield layer by providing a mid-gap layer between the spin valve sensor and a second gap layer. In one example, the total thickness of the mid-gap and second gap layer is four times as thick as the first gap layer which results in the image fields from the first and second shield layers completely counterbalancing the field from the antiferromagnetic, pinned and spacer layers due to the sense current.