Method for manufacturing a spin valve having an enhanced free layer

摘要

A spin valve sensor is provided with a negative ferromagnetic coupling field -H_FC for properly biasing a free layer and a spin filter layer is employed between the free layer and a capping layer for increasing the magnetoresistive coefficient dr/R of the spin valve sensor. A top portion of the free layer is oxidized for improving the negative ferromagnetic coupling field -H_FC when the spin filter layer is employed for increasing the magnetoresistive coefficient dr/R.