Nickel-manganese as a pinning layer in spin valve/GMR magnetic sensors

摘要

A spin valve sensor and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The spin valve sensor includes a first layer of ferromagnetic material and a second layer of ferromagnetic material, with the second layer of ferromagnetic material having a thickness of less than about 100 ANGSTROM . A first layer of non-ferromagnetic conducting material is positioned between the first and second layers of ferromagnetic material. A NiMn pinning layer is positioned adjacent to the second layer of ferromagnetic material such that the pinning layer is in contact with the second layer of ferromagnetic material, wherein the NiMn pinning layer has a thickness of less than about 200 ANGSTROM and provides a pinning field for pinning a magnetization of the second layer of ferromagnetic material in a first direction.