Method for controlling sensor-to-sensor alignment and material properties in a dual magnetoresistive sensor
US5721008A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B5/3903
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of fabricating a dual magnetoresistive (DMR) sensor with improved sensor-to-sensor match is disclosed. A first Mo conductor layer and a first NiMn antiferromagnetic layer are formed on top of a first gap layer in wing regions of the DMR sensor. The first NiMn layer is formed on top of the first Mo layer. A first NiFe sensor layer, a first spacer layer and a second NiFe sensor layer are deposited on top of the first NiMn layer in the wing regions and on top of the first gap layer in the active region. The first NiFe sensor layer, the first spacer layer and the second NiFe sensor layer are all deposited in a single vacuum deposition run to minimize material mismatches, and are simultaneously patterned to the desired geometry to minimize misalignment between the two sensor layers. A second conductor layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer are formed on top the second NiFe sensor layer in the wing regions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.