Magnetoresistive read transducer with partially abutted junctions

摘要

A magnetoresistive transducer is formed with a trilayer structure including a soft adjacent magnetic layer (SAL), a spacer layer and a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor element. The SAL and part of the spacer layer extend continuously across the transducer structure. The MR sensor element has end portions that partially abut hard permanent magnetic (PM) films and partially abut conductive leads formed over the PM films. The transducer structure minimizes the problem of electrical shorting and achieves significant improvements in magnetic performance of the active MR region and signal readout.