NOL specular spin-valve heads using an ultrathin CoFe free layer

This paper reports the film and head performance of specular spin valves wi th nano-oxide layer (NOL-SPSV). A large MR ratio of 17% was obtained by usi ng an ultrathin CoFe free layer with a high conductance Cu layer, which dec reases the sense current field of a free layer and brings good soft magneti c characteristics. Prototype heads with a read track width of 0.47-0.61 mum were fabricated by using NOL-SPSV films with an MR ratio of 14-15%, H-ua s imilar to 400Oe, and H-c similar to 5Oe. High output signal voltage of 8-11 mV/mum was realized in the NOL-SPSV heads. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.