Highly sensitive magnetoresistive sensor with a series flux guide

摘要

An orthogonal magnetoresistive (MR) read sensor is provided having an MR sensing element which is perpendicular to an air bearing surface (ABS) and has an easy axis which is parallel to the ABS. The MR sensor further has top and bottom flux guides in series with the bottom and the top portion of the MR sensing element, respectively The bottom flux guide extends perpendicular from the ABS. Bottom and top leads are connected to the bottom and top flux guides, respectively, in a spaced-apart relationship for conducting a sense current through the MR sensing element. The MR sensing element and the bottom lead are electrically insulated from each other by an insulating layer which is placed between the sensing element and the bottom lead. Electrically insulating the sensing element from the bottom lead makes the sensing efficiency of the sensing element independent of the size of the bottom lead thus improving the performance and manufacturability of the orthogonal MR sensor.