EP0631276A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Magnetoresistive read head having an exchange layer
Assignee: Read Rite Corp
•
Filing: 1994-05-27
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2014-05-27
Abstract
Abstract A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer (30) having an exchange layer (32) adjacent a soft active layer (SAL) (34). The exchange layer (32) generates a transverse bias field which saturates the SAL with little or no sense current.
Inventors
- 👤 William C. Cain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:16
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/127; G11B5/33; G11B5/39; G11B5/3903; G11B5/399; G11B5/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A magnetoresistive read transducer (30) for sensing magnetic signals and converting said signals to electric signals, comprising: a magnetoresistive layer (38); a soft active layer (34) for providing a longitudinal bias to said transducer (30); a spacer layer (36), interposed between said magnetoresistive layer (38) and said soft active layer (34); and an exchange layer (32), adjacent to said soft active layer (34) and opposite said spacer layer (36) for generating an exchange field along a direction transverse to said soft active layer (34), thereby reducing the sense current required to saturate said soil active layer (34); so that a sense current is generated in said transducer (30) when said transducer (30) is passed over magnetic storage media.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
A magnetoresistive read transducer as in claim 1, wherein said exchange layer (32) comprises nickel oxide and cobalt oxide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A magnetoresistive read transducer as in claim 2, wherein the thicknes of said exchange layer (32) is about 300 to 350 Angstroms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A magnetoresistive read transducer as in claim 1, wherein said exchange layer (32) comprises iron manganese.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
Am magnetoresistive read transducer as in claim 4, wherein the thickness of said exchange layer (32) is about 150 to 350 Angstroms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A magnetoresistive read transducer as in claim 1, further comprising end regions (48) for generating longitudinal biasing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A magnetoresistive read transducer as in claim 6, wherein said end regions (48) comprise a hard magnetic biasing layer (44) and a conductive layer (42).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of reading magnetically stored information from a storage medium, comprising the steps of: positioning a magnetoresistive transducer (30) spaced from said storage medium, wherein the distance between said transducer (30) and said storage medium is sufficient to generate a sense current in said transducer (30), said transducer (30) defined by longitudinal and transverse directions, said transducer (30) incorporating a soft active layer (34); generating a transverse bias in at least a portion of said transducer (30) to improve the sense current linearity and transducer sensitivity; and generating an exchange field transverse to said transducer (30) whereby said exchange field enables saturation of said soft active layer (34) with minimal applied sense current.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 8, further comprising the step of generating longitudinal bias in said transducer (30).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5018037A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.