Spin valve sensor having free layer stabilized by ferromagnetic and sense current fields

摘要

One aspect of the present invention provides a horizontal component of a ferromagnetic coupling field on the free layer of a spin valve sensor in the same direction as a longitudinal hard biasing field for magnetically stabilizing the free layer. A second aspect of the present invention provides a sense current field in the same direction as a ferromagnetic coupling field on a free layer for promoting magnetic stabilization of the free layer. A third aspect of the present invention is a combination of the first and second aspects of the invention wherein a horizontal component of the ferromagnetic coupling field is in the same direction as a longitudinal hard biasing field and a sense current field is in the same direction as a vertical component of the ferromagnetic coupling field on the free layer.