BIASING CHARACTERISTICS OF UNSHIELDED, BOUNDARY EXCHANGE-COUPLED SAL MR SENSORS/

An MR sensor with patterned exchange-biasing layer at its end regions exhibits quiet and stable responses. A Mathematical model simulating a n unshielded, boundary exchange-biased SAL/MR structure is developed. The modeled results are in good agreement with the experimental data. However, biasing characteristics are quite different from modeled resu lts assuming infinitely long stripes. For the boundary exchange-couple d SAL/MR design, the stripe height has a significant impact on the bia sing characteristics and the effect becomes even more pronounced as th e track width is further reduced.