Thin-film magnetic head having the length of the pinned and antiferromagnetic layers greater than the width dimension thereof and/or the length of the free layer
US7190559B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 2, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 13, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 11, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2005/3996
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In the thin-film magnetic head of the present invention, the length of each of a pinned layer and an antiferromagnetic layer in their contact area in the depth direction from a surface facing a medium is longer than the length of a free layer in the same direction. When the length of the pinned layer in the depth direction is set longer as such, the direction of magnetization of the pinned layer can be restrained from being tilted by disturbances. Also, the pinned layer and the antiferromagnetic layer have the same length in their contact area in the MR height direction, so that the pinned layer is in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer throughout its length in the MR height direction, thus raising the exchange coupling force, whereby the inclination in the direction of magnetization can be suppressed more effectively.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.