READ SENSITIVITY IN ABUTTED-JUNCTION TYPE SPIN-VALVE HEAD

The sensitivity and the distribution of read heads have become more an d more vital as the recording track density has increased. From the vi ew point of the sensitivity distribution, the read performance of abut ted-junction type spin-valve (SV) heads are investigated by using Land au-Lifshitz-Gilbert micromagnetic simulation. In this model, the hard magnet film is set up at a slant to be abutted with the SV sensor edge . A long overlap length introduces negative longitudinal field. This i nadequate field distribution causes the magnetization array to be diso rdered and irreversible magnetization changes in the free layer of the head. We also investigated the relationship between the magnetization state and the micro-track profile, as a function of sense current dir ection and track width. As a result, it is confirmed that the micro-tr ack profile can be explained by the magnetization state of the free la yer.