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:
Dec. 25, 2012
Filed:
Sep. 26, 2011
Masashi Hattori, Odawara, JP;
Koichi Nishioka, Hiratsuka, JP;
Koji Sakamoto, Odawara, JP;
Tsutomu Yasuda, Odawara, JP;
Hideki Mashima, Hiratsuka, JP;
Masashi Hattori, Odawara, JP;
Koichi Nishioka, Hiratsuka, JP;
Koji Sakamoto, Odawara, JP;
Tsutomu Yasuda, Odawara, JP;
Hideki Mashima, Hiratsuka, JP;
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V., Amsterdam, NL;
Abstract
In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a magnetoresistive free layer, wherein a width of the free layer nearest an air bearing surface (ABS) is less than a width of the free layer at a point away from the ABS in a track width direction, with the magnetic head being configured to pass a sense current in a direction perpendicular to a plane of deposition of the free layer. In another embodiment, a method includes forming a magnetoresistive film above a shield, forming a masking layer above the magnetoresistive film, patterning the masking layer such that it exposes portions of the magnetoresistive film, wherein the masking layer defines an area which is narrow near an area that forms an ABS side of a free layer and wider at an area away from the ABS, and removing the exposed portions of the magnetoresistive film to form the free layer.