Andy Tran

US Patent:

7370404, May 13, 2008

Filed:

May 28, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/857168

Inventors:

Hardayal Singh Gill - Palo Alto CA, US
Jinshan Li - San Jose CA, US
Kenneth Donald Mackay - San Jose CA, US
Kouichi Nishioka - Hiratsuka, JP
Andy Cuong Tran - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. - Amsterdam

International Classification:

G11B 5/127

US Classification:

2960308, 2960301, 2960307, 2960313, 2960314, 36032412

Abstract:

A spin valve sensor in a read head has a spacer layer which is located between a self-pinned AP pinned layer structure and a free layer structure. The free layer structure is longitudinally stabilized by first and second hard bias layers which abut first and second side surfaces of the spin valve sensor. The AP pinned layer structure has an antiparallel coupling layer (APC) which is located between first and second AP pinned layers (AP) and (AP). The invention employs a resetting process for setting of the magnetic moments of the AP pinned layers by applying a field at an acute angle to the head surface in a plane parallel to the major planes of the layers of the sensor. The resetting process sets a proper polarity of each AP pinned layer, which polarity conforms to processing circuitry employed with the spin valve sensor.

US Patent:

20030179500, Sep 25, 2003

Filed:

Mar 21, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/104213

Inventors:

Hardayal Gill - Palo Alto CA, US
Andy Tran - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION

International Classification:

C23C014/00
G11B005/33

US Classification:

360/240000, 360/313000, 360/314000, 360/325000

Abstract:

A spin valve sensor in a read head has a spacer layer which is located between a self-pinned AP pinned layer structure and a free layer structure. The free layer structure is longitudinally stabilized by first and second hard bias layers which abut first and second side surfaces of the spin valve sensor. The AP pinned layer structure has an antiparallel coupling layer (APC) which is located between first and second AP pinned layers (AP) and (AP). The invention employs a preferential setting of the magnetic moments of the AP pinned layers by applying a field at an acute angle to the head surface in a plane parallel to the major planes of the layers of the sensor. The preferential setting sets a proper polarity of each AP pinned layer, which polarity conforms to processing circuitry employed with the spin valve sensor.