Spin valve sensor having a pinned layer structure composed of cobalt iron vanadium (CoFeV)

摘要

A pinned layer structure composed of cobalt iron vanadium (CoFeV) is provided in a spin valve sensor for reducing sense current shunting and decreasing a sense current field exerted on a free layer structure. A preferred antiparallel (AP) pinned layer structure has an antiparallel coupling layer between first and second AP pinned layers wherein the first AP pinned layer interfaces a pinning layer and the second AP pinned layer interfaces a copper spacer layer. In a preferred embodiment the first AP pinned layer is cobalt iron vanadium (CoFeV) and the second AP pinned layer comprises first and second films wherein the first film is cobalt iron vanadium (CoFeV) and the second film is cobalt iron (CoFe) with the second film having a higher cobalt (Co) content than the first film and interfacing the copper spacer layer.