RELUCTANCE SENSOR HAVING ANISOTROPIC HARD BIAS WITHOUT ACCOMPANYING BUFFER LAYER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reluctance sensor having an anisotropic hard bias where a very rigid bias structure of a free layer can be attained, even if it a very small sensor. SOLUTION: Hard magnetic bias layers 338 and 340 are formed on seed layers 342 and 344 subjected to low-voltage ion milling, to cause magnetic anisotropy in the hard magnetic bias layer. The processed seed layer can deposit the hard magnetic bias layers 338 and 340 on a crystalline layer without requiring a buffer layer of Si, or the like, for interrupting epitaxial growth induced by the underlying crystalline layer. Low-voltage ion milling is performed at an angleθwith respect to the normal to the surface of the seed layer. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT