Claims
- 1. A magnetic sensor in a magnetic storage device, comprising:
a magnetoresistive sensor element; electrical contacts coupled to the magnetoresistive element configured to sense a response of the magnetoresistive element to a magnetic field; a magnetic shield adjacent the magnetoresistive element configured to shield the magnetoresistive element from stray magnetic fields, the shield having a substantially stable magnetic domain pattern; and a shield flux thief generally in a plane of the shield and spaced apart from the shield by a gap, the flux thief and the shield configured to reduce a demagnetization field in the shield.
- 2. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 wherein the shield has a geometry to provide a substantially stable magnetic domain pattern;
- 3. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 wherein the shield flux thief is configured to reduce a demagnetization field in the magnetoresistive sensor element.
- 4. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 including an air bearing surface and wherein the shield flux thief is recessed from the air bearing surface.
- 5. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 wherein the gap between the shield flux thief and the shield is between about 5 and 40 μm.
- 6. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 wherein the gap between the shield flux thief and the shield is less than about 5 μm.
- 7. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 including an air bearing surface and wherein the shield has at least one side with which is substantially flush with the air bearing surface.
- 8. The magnetic sensor of claim 7 wherein the shield flux thief has first and second sides, positioned on opposed sides of the shield, which are substantially flush with the air bearing surface.
- 9. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 including an inductive write element configured to write magnetically encoded information.
- 10. The magnetic sensor of claim 1 wherein the magnetic shield and the shield flux thief are deposited in the same step.
- 11. A disc storage system including a magnetic sensor in accordance with claim 1.
- 12. A method of fabricating a magnetic sensor for use in a magnetic storage device, comprising:
depositing a layer of magnetic material on a substrate; forming a gap in the magnetic material to thereby form a magnetic shield and a shield flux thief; and depositing a magnetoresistive sensor proximate the magnetic shield; wherein the flux thief is configured to reduce a demagnetization field in the magnetoresistive sensor during deposition of the magnetoresistive sensor.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the shield is configured to have a substantially stable magnetic domain pattern.
- 14. The method of claim 12 including lapping the transducer to form an air bearing surface and wherein the shield and the magnetic flux thief have edges which are substantially flush with the air bearing surface.
- 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the gap is less than about 40 μm.
- 16. A magnetic sensor made in accordance with the method of claim 12.
- 17. A disc storage system including a magnetic sensor made in accordance with the method of claim 12.
- 18. A magnetic sensor in a magnetic storage system, comprising:
magnetoresistive sensor means for sensing magnetically encoded information; magnetic shield means for shielding the magnetoresistive sensor means from magnetic fields; and shield flux thief means for reducing a demagnetization field from the magnetic shield in the magnetoresistive sensor means.
- 19. The magnetic sensor of claim 18 wherein the shield flux thief means comprises magnetic material spaced apart from the magnetic shield means by a gap.
- 20. The magnetic sensor of claim 18 wherein the magnetic shield means has a geometry to provide a substantially stable magnetic domain pattern.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/207,462, filed May 25, 2000, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60207462 |
May 2000 |
US |