ESD induced pinned layer reversal in spin-valve GMR heads

Author

Takahashi, M. ; Maeda, T. ; Inage, K. ; Sakai, M. ; Morita, H. ; Matsuzaki, M.

Author_Institution

Data Storage Components Bus. Group, TDK Corp., Nagano, Japan

Volume

34

Issue

4

fYear

1998

fDate

7/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1522

Lastpage

1524

Abstract

Magnetization direction of the pinned layer in the Spin-Valve giant magnetoresistive (SV) heads has been found to be reversed easily by electrostatic discharge (ESD). Thermal stress and magnetic field from ESD cause this phenomenon. This phenomenon happens only when the bias field direction by ESD current Is opposite to the magnetization of the pinned layer. The energy of magnetization reversal of the pinned layer from ESD is found to be a quarter of the ESD breakdown energy. For SV heads which consist of an AF film with higher blocking temperature, the energy becomes higher

Keywords

electrostatic discharge; giant magnetoresistance; magnetic heads; magnetisation reversal; magnetoresistive devices; blocking temperature; breakdown energy; electrostatic discharge; giant magnetoresistive heads; magnetization reversal; pinned layer reversal; spin-valve GMR heads; thermal stress; Biological system modeling; Breakdown voltage; Circuit testing; Electric breakdown; Electrical resistance measurement; Electrostatic discharge; Humans; Immune system; Magnetic heads; Magnetization reversal;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.706603

Filename

706603