Method and apparatus for enhanced dual spin valve giant magnetoresistance effects having second spin valve self-pinned composite layer
US7038889B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 2, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B5/313
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A dual spin valve giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor having two spin valves with the second spin valve being self-biased is disclosed herein. According to the present invention a dual spin valve system is disclosed wherein the first of the two spin valves in the dual spin valve element is pinned through exchange coupling, i.e., a first anti-ferromagnetic pinning layer and a first ferromagnetic pinned layer structure are exchange coupled for pinning the first magnetic moment of the first ferromagnetic pinned layer structure in a first direction. The second of the two spin valves in the dual spin valve system is self-pinned. The self-pinned spin valve does not use any anti-ferromagnetic layers to pin the magnetization of the pinned layers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.