Magnetoresistive device and method having improved Barkhausen noise suppression

摘要

An improved magnetoresistive device and method for fabricating the same which results in improved Barkhausen noise suppression. A generally coplanar device is described having an MR structure conductive region longitudinally biased by opposing permanent magnet layers separated therefrom by a non-magnetic metal or dielectric separation layer. significant reduction of the demagnetization energy near the MR-to-permanent magnet junction is achieved, particularly in the use of an elliptically shaped conductive region and the resultant generally coplanar device is readily fabricated and reproducible using a self-aligning process. The longitudinal bias technique described can be used in conjunction with all known transverse bias techniques.