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:
Jul. 16, 2013
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2011
Kunliang Zhang, Milpitas, CA (US);
Min LI, Dublin, CA (US);
Yu-hsia Chen, Mountain View, CA (US);
Chyu-jiuh Torng, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Kunliang Zhang, Milpitas, CA (US);
Min Li, Dublin, CA (US);
Yu-Hsia Chen, Mountain View, CA (US);
Chyu-Jiuh Torng, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Headway Technologies, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A CPP-GMR spin valve having a CoFe/NiFe composite free layer is disclosed in which Fe content of the CoFe layer ranges from 20 to 70 atomic % and Ni content in the NiFe layer varies, from 85 to 100 atomic % to maintain low Hc and λvalues. A small positive magnetostriction value in a CoFelayer is used to offset a negative magnetostriction value in a NiFelayer. The CoFe layer is deposited on a sensor stack in which a seed layer, AFM layer, pinned layer, and non-magnetic spacer layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. After a NiFe layer and capping layer are sequentially deposited on the CoFe layer, the sensor stack is patterned to give a sensor element with top and bottom surfaces and a sidewall connecting the top and bottom surfaces. Thereafter, a dielectric layer is formed adjacent to the sidewalls.