Method and apparatus for providing a spin valve transistor with differential detection

摘要

A method and apparatus for providing a spin valve transistor with differential detection is disclosed. The present invention provides a structure including spin valves that are (100)-oriented on a (100) substrate to take advantages of the high MR sensitivity of spin valve transistor read heads without the need for shields. This allows the distance between the free layers in the differential sensor to be minimized thereby allowing an increase in the areal density.