Abstract: A cladding structure for a conductive line used to switch a free layer in a MTJ is disclosed and includes two cladding sidewalls on two sides of the conductive line, a top cladding portion on a side of the conductive line facing away from the MTJ, and a highly conductive, non-magnetic spacing control layer formed between the MTJ and conductive line. The spacing control layer has a thickness of 0.02 to 0.12 microns to maintain the distance separating free layer and conductive line between 0.03 and 0.15 microns. The spacing control layer is aligned parallel to the conductive line and contacts a plurality of MTJ elements in a row of MRAM cells. Half-select error problems are avoided while maintaining high write efficiency. A spacing control layer may be formed between a word line and a bottom electrode in a top pinned layer or dual pinned layer configuration.

Abstract: A magnetic storage system in which a magnetoresistive (MR) transducer utilizes a high coercivity magnetic material to produce a bias field for achieving higher signal output with low currents for narrow track width applications. Strips of high coercivity magnetic material contiguously contact opposite track-overlying edges of an MR layer. Each strip has a horizontal component of magnetization times its thickness that is at least equal to a horizontal component of magnetization of the MR layer times its thickness before the MR layer is biased by the strips, and each strip has its magnetization direction canted at an angle .phi. from its horizontal component. The MR layer is asymmetrically positioned between spaced magnetic shields and the MR layer is separated by a conductive nonmagnetic spacer layer from a shunt layer.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head in which the width of the first and second magnetic yoke layers between the zero throat point and the yoke flare point is progressively widened to equalize the flux density over this length so that the whole length reaches saturation simultaneously at a single current. Consequently, the field at the gap at the air bearing surface increases insignificantly once saturation of this length occurs, and the write field is then constant for currents above the saturation value.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system uses an improved spin valve magnetoresistive (SVMR) sensor. The SVMR sensor has a self-pinned laminated layer as the pinned ferromagnetic layer in place of the conventional single-layer pinned layer. Because this laminated layer is "self-pinned", a hard bias or exchange bias layer is not needed. The self-pinned laminated layer has at least two ferromagnetic films antiferromagnetically coupled to one another across a thin antiferromagnetically (AF) coupling film. Since the two ferromagnetic films in this laminated layer have their magnetic moments aligned antiparallel, their two magnetic moments can be made to essentially cancel by making the two ferromagnetic films of substantially the same thickness. The magnetic field energy generated by the signal field acting on this laminated layer will be significantly less than the effective anisotropy energy of the laminated layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head is provided which includes a magnetoresistive thin film sensing element. The sensing element has film surfaces which are bounded by top and bottom surfaces and side surfaces, the bottom surface forming a portion of an air bearing surface. First and second thin film gap layers and first and second thin film shield layers are provided. The magnetoresistive element and between the first and second gap layers. The magnetoresistive element, the first and second gap layers are located between the first and second shield layers. One end of the MR element is electrically shorted to the first shield layer, and an opposite end of the MR element is electrically shorted to the second shield layer. This arrangement makes each shield layer serve as current carrying leads for the magnetoresistive head.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) sensing system comprises an MR sensor with a layered spin valve structure including thin first and second layers of ferromagnetic material separated by a thin layer of nonmagnetic metallic material. The magnetization direction of the first layer at a zero applied magnetic field is substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the MR sensor and substantially perpendicular to the fixed or "pinned" magnetization direction of the second layer. A thin keeper layer of ferromagnetic material is separated by a thin spacer layer from the layered spin valve structure. This keeper layer has a fixed magnetization direction substantially opposite that of the second layer and a moment-thickness product substantially equal to that of the second layer for cancelling the magnetostatic field from the second layer.

Abstract: A spin valve magnetoresistive (MR) sensor uses a multifilm laminated pinned ferromagnetic layer in place of the conventional single-layer pinned layer. The laminated pinned layer has at least two ferromagnetic films separated by an antiferromagnetically coupling film. By appropriate selection of the thickness of the antiferromagnetically coupling film, depending on the material combination selected for the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetically coupling films, the ferromagnetic films become antiferromagnetically coupled. In the preferred embodiment, the pinned layer is formed of two films of nickel-iron (Ni--Fe) separated by a ruthenium (Ru) film having a thickness less than approximately 10 .ANG.. Since the pinned ferromagnetic films have their magnetic moments aligned antiparallel with one another, the two moments can be made to essentially cancel one another by making the two ferromagnetic films of substantially the same thickness.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive read sensor based on the spin valve effect in which a component of the read element resistance varies as the cosine of the angle between the magnetization directions in two adjacent magnetic layers is described. The sensor read element includes two adjacent ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic metallic layer. A layer of nonmagnetic electrically conductive material is deposited adjacent to and in contact with one of the ferromagnetic layers, referred to as a filter layers to form a back or conduction layer which provides a low resistance path for conduction electrons transmitted through the adjacent filter layer. The thickness of the filter layer is selected such that it effectively blocks conduction electrons having spins antiparallel to the direction of magnetization in the filter layer while allowing conduction electrons with parallel spins to be transmitted through the layer into the adjacent back layer.

Abstract: Three leads L1, L2, and L3 connected to an MR stripe of an MR read transducer are arranged in a circuit for eliminating: (1) thermal asperity noise, (2) damage from shorting from the transducer to a magnetic medium, and (3) signal reduction from shorting between the conductive layers of the transducer at the ABS. The first and second leads L1 and L2 are connected to the MR stripe adjacent its top edge and the third lead L3 is connected to the MR stripe adjacent its bottom edge, the bottom edge being at the ABS of the transducer. A current of equal magnitude is applied to each of the first and second leads to flow at an angle from each of these leads to the third lead L3, this angle being preferably 45.degree. to the longitudinal axis or ABS of the MR stripe. A differential preamplifier is connected across the first and second leads L1 and L2. With this arrangement, thermal asperity noise is cancelled by common mode rejection at the differential preamplifier.

Abstract: A thin film magnetoresistive head is provided which has a magnetoresistive thin film sensing element. The film surfaces of the sensing element are bounded by top and bottom surfaces and a pair of side surfaces, the bottom surface forming a portion of an air-bearing surface. First and second sense current thin film lead layers are provided. The first lead layer is electrically connected to the top surface of the magnetoresistive element and the second lead layer is electrically connected to the bottom surface of the magnetoresistive element. First and second gap layers and first and second shield layers are provided. The magnetoresistive element is located between the first and second gap layers. The magnetoresistive element, the lead layers, and the first and second gap layers are located between the first and second shield layers. Provision is made for electrically connecting the second lead layer to the second shield layer and provision is made for electrically connecting the first and second shield layers.

Abstract: A magnetic head has three pole pieces that form a magnetic circuit. The magnetic pole pieces are arranged in a common plane so that the two outside pole pieces are each spaced from the central pole piece to form a transducing gap between each of the outside pole pieces and the central pole piece. A first and a second coil, each having the same magnetic sense, is wound on the magnetic structure between an outside and the center pole piece. The coils are connected in series for a write operation so that the flux in the outside pole pieces is additive for writing, and the coils are connected in series opposition for a read operation so that the flux produced in the center pole by a previously recorded magnetic transition in the magnetic recording medium adjacent to the transducing gaps is sensed additively in the coils.