Recording device with microtip covered by magnetoresistive multilayer

摘要

The device includes a micropoint (12) which is mounted at the end of an arm (10). The micropoint is a mechanical point of size less than a micrometre. The micropoint has an amagnetic pyramid part (42) which is covered by an insulating layer (44) and then magnetoresistive multilayers (46). The micropoint may be moved over a magnetic film (35). Recording takes place by passing a current through the magnetoresistive multilayer and a section of the magnetic film. The resulting heating to a temperature higher than the Curie temperature causes the section to be magnetised in the same sense as an applied magnetic field. Reading is achieved by measuring the resistance change in the magnetoresistive multilayer due to the leakage field of a magnetised film section (37).