Magnetoresistive sensor having antiferromagnetic exchange-biased ends

Claim 2

An elongated magnetoresistive sensor strip having a sense region and exchange-biasing antiferromagnetic material exchange-coupled to the magnetoresistive sensor strip only outside the sense region, the sense region being stabilized in a single magnetic domain state through exchange interaction outside the sense region.

Claim 3

The strip of claim 1 wherein the strip is mounted in the head of a disk drive with the strip oriented substantially vertical to the surface of at least one of the drives' disks, the strip having a bottom edge facing said surface, and wherein said exchange-biasing material is recessed a short distance away from said bottom edge.

Claim 4

The strip of claim 1 wherein the strip has a longitudinal section in which the sense region is centrally located further comprising a pair of vertically extending sections coupled to the longitudinal section outside the sense region.

Claim 5

The strip of claim 3 wherein the strip is mounted in the head of a disk drive with the strip oriented substantially vertical to the surface of at least one of the drives' disks, the strip having a bottom edge facing said surface, and wherein said exchange-biasing material is recessed a short distance away from said bottom edge.

Claim 6

A shaped magnetoresistive sensor strip having a stable single-domain in a single central sense region and exchange-biasing antiferromagnetic material exchange-coupled to the sensor only outside the central sense region, the central sense region being stabilized in the stable single-domain by exchange interaction outside the central sense region.

Claim 7

A shaped magnetoresistive sensor strip having a stable single-domain in a single central sense region and exchange-biasing antiferromagnetic material exchange-coupled to the sensor only outside the central sense region, the central sense region being stabilized in the stable single-domain by exchange interaction outside the central sense region.

Claim 8

The strip of claim 5 wherein the strip is mounted in the head of a disk drive with the strip oriented substantially vertical to the surface of at least one of the drives' disks, the strip having a bottom edge facing said surface, and wherein said exchange-biasing material is recessed a short distance away from said bottom edge.

Claim 9

The strip of claim 5 wherein the strip has a longitudinal section in which the central sense region is centrally located further comprising a pair of vertically extending sections coupled to the longitudinal section outside the central sense region.

Claim 10

The strip of claim 7 wherein the strip is mounted in the head of a disk drive with the strip oriented substantially vertical to the surface of at least one of the drives' disks, the strip having a bottom edge facing said surface, and wherein said exchange-biasing material is recessed a short distance away from said bottom edge.

Claim 11

The strip of claim 5 wherein the strip has a pseudo-ellipsoid shape.

Claim 12

The strip of claim 9 wherein the strip is mounted in the head of a disk drive with the strip oriented substantially vertical to the surface of at least one of the drives' disks, the strip having a bottom edge facing said surface, and wherein said exchange-biasing material is recessed a short distance away from said bottom edge.

Claim 13

A magnetoresistive sensor comprising: an elongated thin film layer of electrically conductive, magnetoresistive material having boundary regions; antiferromagnetic material exchange-coupled with at least a portion of the boundary regions; a central sensing region in the elongated layer defined within the boundary regions by the substantial absence of exchange-coupled antiferromagnetic material; and a single magnetic domain state in the central sensing region stabilized through exchange-coupling at the boundary regions.

Claim 14

A magnetoresistive sensor comprising: an elongated thin film layer of electrically conductive, magnetoresistive material having boundary regions; antiferromagnetic material exchange-coupled with at least a portion of the boundary regions; a central sensing region in the elongated layer defined within the boundary regions by the substantial absence of exchange-coupled antiferromagnetic material; and a single magnetic domain state in the central sensing region stabilized through exchange-coupling at the boundary regions.

Claim 15

A magnetoresistive sensor as set forth in claim 11 wherein the elongated layer of electrically conductive, magnetoresistive material has a geometric shape promoting stabilization of a single domain magnetic state in the elongated layer.

Claim 16

A magnetoresistive sensor as set forth in claim 11 wherein the elongated layer is mounted in the head of a disk drive with the elongated layer oriented substantially vertical to the surface of at least one of the drive's disks, the strip having a bottom edge facing said surface, and wherein said exchange-biasing material is recessed a short distance away from said bottom edge.