NICKEL-MANGANESE PINNED SPIN VALVE/GMR MAGNETIC SENSORS

摘要

A spin valve sensor (10) and a method of sensor include a stack having a first layer of ferromagnetic material (19) and a second layer of ferromagnetic material (25), with the second layer of ferromagnetic material having a thickness of less than about 100 ANGSTROM . The stack also includes a first layer of non-ferromagnetic conducting material (20) positioned between the first and second layers of ferromagnetic material. The stack further includes an NiMn pinning layer (26) positioned adjacent to the second layer of ferromagnetic material (25) such that the pinning layer is in contact with the second layer of ferromagnetic material. The NiMn pinning layer has a thickness of less than about 300 ANGSTROM and provides a pinning field for pinning a magnetization of the second layer of ferromagnetic material in a first direction. A rocking curve width of the stack is preferably less than about 4 degrees.