Magnetoresistive transducer having a common magnetic bias using assertive and complementary signals
US5859754A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 3, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 12, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2005/3996
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Magnetic transducers are formed with common magnetic exchange layers capable of providing assertive and complementary signals. The transducers include an assertive transducer portion and a complementary transducer portion. Between the two transducer portions is a common bias portion which comprises an antiferromagnetic layer providing bias fields in different directions to the respective transducer portions. During normal operations, a current is directed into each of the transducer portions. The assertive transducer portion, being magnetically biased in one direction, generates a varying voltage as an assertive version of the electrical signal. The complementary transducer, being magnetically biased in another direction, generates another varying voltage as a complementary version of the electrical signal. In one embodiment, the transducer portions are implemented to operate as an anisotropic MR(AMR) sensor. In a second embodiment, the transducer portions operate as a giant MR(GMR) or spin valve sensor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.