GIANT MAGNETORESISTANCE AND ITS APPLICATION IN RECORDING-HEADS

A short overview is given of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect and its device applications. As an example of present research topics, the optimization of the ferromagnetic-layer composition of spin valve s for application in recording heads is discussed. The influence on ou tput voltage and stability has been investigated in test structures an d compared with material parameters that were experimentally obtained from unpatterned films. It is found that in practical applications a s mall addition of cobalt is advantageous, since, although the output vo ltage is decreased, it leads to an improvement in reproducibility, lin earity, signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range.