MR reader sensitivity and SAL magnetic anisotropy

Two kinds of abutted junction magnetoresistive recording heads with differe nt SAL effective magnetic anisotropy were manufactured. Experimental result s show that heads with near zero magnetostriction have stable performance. However, heads with very positive (10(-6)) magnetostriction show multi-doma in state, bumpy microtracks. The amplitude of this head with highly magneto strictive SAL depends on the initial SAL magnetic state with respect to the bias current. Ail these abnormalities are mainly caused by the effective m agnetic anisotropy of the SAL being perpendicular instead of parallel to th e ABS of the SAL layer.