Abstract: A magnetic head having a spin valve sensor that is fabricated utilizing an Al2O3, NiMn0, Si seed layer upon which a PtMn spin valve sensor layer structure is subsequently fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the Si layer has a thickness of approximately 20 Å and the PtMn layer has a thickness of approximately 120 Å. An alternative fabrication process of the Si layer includes the overdeposition of the layer to a first thickness of from 15 Å to 45 Å followed by the etching back of the seed layer of approximately 5 Å to approximately 15 Å to its desired final thickness of approximately 20 Å. The Si layer results in an improved crystal structure to the subsequently fabricated PtMn and other spin valve sensor layers, such that the fabricated spin valve is thinner and exhibits increased &Dgr;R/R and reduced coercivity.

Abstract: A method of making a magnetic head assembly wherein the magnetic head assembly has a write head with a pole tip includes the steps of forming a shaping layer on an underlying layer wherein the shaping layer has a side surface and a top surface, ion beam sputter depositing a ferromagnetic material layer on the underlying layer and on the side and top surfaces of the shaping layer and removing first and second portions of the ferromagnetic material layer from the underlying layer and the top surface of the shaping layer, respectively, leaving a remaining portion of the ferromagnetic material layer on the side surface of the shaping layer which is the aforementioned pole tip.

Abstract: The first and second side surfaces of either a bottom spin valve sensor or a top spin valve sensor are notched so as to enable a reduction in the magnetoresistive coefficient of side portions of the sensor beyond the track width region thereby minimizing side reading by the sensor. The first and second notches of the spin valve sensor are then filled with layers in various embodiments of the invention to complete the spin valve sensor.

Abstract: A top spin valve sensor includes an iridium manganese (IrMn) pinning layer which has been formed by ion beam sputter deposition. The magnetoresistive coefficient of the spin valve sensor is increased by employing an iridium manganese oxide (IrMnO) seed layer between a free layer of the spin valve sensor and a first read gap layer of the read head. The free layer is preferably a nickel iron free film located between first and second cobalt iron (CoFe) free films.

Abstract: The electroplated components of a magnetic head of the present invention are fabricated utilizing a seed layer that is susceptible to reactive ion etch removal techniques. A preferred seed layer is comprised of tungsten or titanium and it is fabricated in a sputter deposition process. The seed layer is electrically conductive and the electroplated components, such as induction coil members and magnetic poles, are effectively electroplated into photolithographically created photoresist trenches that are fabricated upon the seed layer. Following the electroplating of the components, the photoresist layer is removed utilizing a standard wet chemical process to expose the seed layer. Next, utilizing a fluorine species reactive ion etch process the seed layer is removed, and significantly, the fluorine RIE process creates a gaseous tungsten or titanium fluoride compound removal product.

Abstract: A method constructs first and second seed layers of a seed layer structure in-situ for a top spin valve sensor for increasing magnetoresistive coefficient dr/R of the sensor, reducing a ferromagnetic coupling field HFC between pinned and free layers of the sensor and reducing coercivity HC of the free layer. The first layer, which is aluminum oxide (Al2O3), is ion beam sputter deposited on a first shield layer in a sputtering chamber under a specified pressure. The second seed layer, which is nickel oxide based, is deposited on the first seed layer by ion beam sputter deposition without breaking the vacuum of the chamber. The free layer is then directly deposited on the second seed layer followed by formation of the remainder of the layers of the spin valve sensor.