The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 10, 2004
Filed:
Feb. 20, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Kenneth E. Knapp, Livermore, CA (US);
Ronald A. Barr, Mountain View, CA (US);
Assignee:
Western Digital (Fremont), Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 5/127 ; H04R 3/100 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 5/127 ; H04R 3/100 ;
Abstract
A magnetoresistive device includes a metal layer, formed over a substrate, in which a groove is formed. A magnetoresistive element is formed in the groove, forming two magnetoresistive element portions that are separated by a conductive element. A sense current applied to the metal layer flows through the two magnetoresistive element portions with a predominant current-perpendicular-to-plane component. The method includes techniques that are less complex and less expensive than submicron photolithography to form the above described magnetoresistive device with submicron geometries.