Abstract: An exchange-coupled magnetic structure of a cobalt-ferrite layer adjacent a magnetic metal layer is used in magnetorestive sensors, such as spin valves or tunnel junction valves. The exchange-coupled magnetic structure is used in a pinning structure pinning the magnetization of a ferromagnetic pinned layer, or in an AP pinned layer. A low coercivity ferrite may be used in an AP free layer. Cobalt-ferrite layers may be formed by co-sputtering of Co and Fe in an oxygen/argon gas mixture, or by sputtering of a CoFe2 composition target in an oxygen/argon gas mixture. Alternatively, the cobalt-ferrite layer may be formed by evaporation of Co and Fe from an alloy source or separate sources along with a flux of oxygen atoms from a RF oxygen atom beam source. Magnetoresistive sensors including cobalt-ferrite layers have small read gaps and produce large signals with high efficiency.

Abstract: An exchange-coupled magnetic structure of a cobalt-ferrite layer adjacent a magnetic metal layer is used in magnetorestive sensors, such as spin valves or tunnel junction valves. The exchange-coupled magnetic structure is used in a pinning structure pinning the magnetization of a ferromagnetic pinned layer, or in an AP pinned layer. A low coercivity ferrite may be used in an AP free layer. Cobalt-ferrite layers may be formed by co-sputtering of Co and Fe in an oxygen/argon gas mixture, or by sputtering of a CoFe2 composition target in an oxygen/argon gas mixture. Alternatively, the cobalt-ferrite layer may be formed by evaporation of Co and Fe from an alloy source or separate sources along with a flux of oxygen atoms from a RF oxygen atom beam source. Magnetoresistive sensors including cobalt-ferrite layers have small read gaps and produce large signals with high efficiency.

Abstract: An exchange-coupled magnetic structure of a cobalt-ferrite layer adjacent a magnetic metal layer is used in magnetorestive sensors, such as spin valves or tunnel junction valves. The exchange-coupled magnetic structure is used in a pinning structure pinning the magnetization of a ferromagnetic pinned layer, or in an AP pinned layer. A low coercivity ferrite may be used in an AP free layer. Cobalt-ferrite layers may be formed by co-sputtering of Co and Fe in an oxygen/argon gas mixture, or by sputtering of a CoFe2 composition target in an oxygen/argon gas mixture. Alternatively, the cobalt-ferrite layer may be formed by evaporation of Co and Fe from an alloy source or separate sources along with a flux of oxygen atoms from a RF oxygen atom beam source. Magnetoresistive sensors including cobalt-ferrite layers have small read gaps and produce large signals with high efficiency.

Abstract: An exchange-coupled magnetic structure of a cobalt-ferrite layer adjacent a magnetic metal layer is used in magnetorestive sensors, such as spin valves or tunnel junction valves. The exchange-coupled magnetic structure is used in a pinning structure pinning the magnetization of a ferromagnetic pinned layer, or in an AP pinned layer. A low coercivity ferrite may be used in an AP free layer. Cobalt-ferrite layers may be formed by co-sputtering of Co and Fe in an oxygen/argon gas mixture, or by sputtering of a CoFe2 composition target in an oxygen/argon gas mixture. Alternatively, the cobalt-ferrite layer may be formed by evaporation of Co and Fe from an alloy source or separate sources along with a flux of oxygen atoms from a RF oxygen atom beam source. Magnetoresistive sensors including cobalt-ferrite layers have small read gaps and produce large signals with high efficiency.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor for use as the read sensor in magnetic recording disk drives uses a permalloy (approximate composition of Ni.sub.81,Fe.sub.19) sensor layer with a magnetoresistance coefficient significantly greater than prior art permalloy sensor layers for a range of permalloy film thicknesses. The permalloy film is deposited on a substrate, such as alumina, that is essentially non-reactive with permalloy at elevated temperatures while the substrate is heated. The permalloy films have a zero or slightly negative magnetostriction, low easy and hard axis coercivities, and a low anisotropy field. At very small film thicknesses the permalloy films formed with substrate heating exhibit an even greater percentage increase in magnetoresistance coefficient than at higher film thicknesses, thereby allowing the films to function in magnetic recording disk drive heads for use at very high linear recording densities.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor based on a giant magnetoresistance multilayer uses a multilayer structure formed of alternating layers or stripes of ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic metal that are spontaneously formed or "self-assembled" laterally on a special template layer. The template layer is a crystalline structure that has a two-fold uniaxial surface, i.e., one that is structurally invariant for a rotation by 180 degrees (and only 180 degrees) about an axis (the symmetry axis) perpendicular to the surface plane. Such a template layer is the (110) surface plane of body-centered-cubic Mo. The alternating stripes of ferromagnetic metal (such as Co or Fe) and nonferromagnetic metal (such as Ag) become spontaneously arranged laterally on the template layer during co-deposition, such as during ultrahigh vaccum evaporation, and are aligned so that the direction of composition modulation, i.e.

Abstract: A method for forming a magnetoresistive sensor results in the spontaneous formation or "self-assembly" of a giant magnetoresistance multilayer structure of alternating stripes of ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic metal that are stacked laterally on a special template layer. The template layer is a crystalline structure that has a two-fold uniaxial surface, i.e., one that is structurally invariant for a rotation by 180 degrees (and only 180 degrees) about an axis (the symmetry axis) perpendicular to the surface plane. Such a template layer is the (110) surface plane of body-centered-cubic Mo. The alternating stripes of ferromagnetic metal (such as Co or Fe) and nonferromagnetic metal (such as Ag) become spontaneously arranged laterally on the template layer during co-deposition, such as during ultrahigh vaccum evaporation, and are aligned so that the direction of compostion modulation, i.e.

Abstract: A method for forming a chemically-ordered ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic metal alloy film allows the temperature and/or time required for annealing to be reduced. The ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic metal alloy film is dosed with hydrogen either during or subsequent to deposition of the film on a substrate. The metal alloy film is then heated to desorb the hydrogen atoms from the metal alloy. In one embodiment for dosing the metal alloy film with hydrogen a transition metal of the type that catalyzes the dissociative chemisorption of H.sub.2, such as palladium (Pd), is deposited as a film in contact with the metal alloy film. The Pd film is then heated and while at an elevated temperature, it is exposed to H.sub.2 gas. The H.sub.2 becomes dissociated into hydrogen atoms and the hydrogen atoms become chemically absorbed by the Pd film. During subsequent cooling of the Pd film hydrogen atoms in the Pd film become absorbed into the metal alloy film.

Abstract: Group III-V compound substrates are heat cleaned under vacuum conditions by heating above their congruent temperature and subjecting the substrate to at least one molecular beam of the material preferentially evaporating from the substrate thereby maintaining surface stoichiometry. Surfaces so cleaned may then have an epitaxial layer grown thereon under similiar conditions from molecular beams. Alternatively the cleaned surface may be coated with cesium and oxygen to form a photocathode.