Magneto-Resistive and Spin Valve Heads: Fundamentals and Applications

This book is aims to be a comprehensive source on the physics and engineering of magneto-resistive heads. Most of the material is presented in a nonmathematical manner to make it more digestible for researchers, students, developers, and engineers.

In addition to revising and updating material available in the first edition, Mallinson has added nine new chapters dealing with various aspects concerning spin valves, the electron spin tunneling effect, the electrostatic discharge effects, read amplifiers, and signal-to-noise ratios, making this a completely up-to-date reference.

The previous edition of Magneto-Resistive Heads was the first volume in the new Academic Press series in Electromagnetism edited by Professor Isaak Mayergoyz, who is a well-recognized expert in the field.

1. B, H, and M Fields
2. The Writing Process
3. The Reading Process
4. The Anisotropic Magneto-Resistive Effect
5. The Giant Magneto-Resistive Effect
6. Vertical Biasing Techniques
7. Horizontal Biasing Techniques
8. Hunt's Unshielded Horizontal and Vertical Anisotropic Magneto-Resistive Heads
9. Single-Element Shielded Vertical Magneto-Resistive Heads
10. Simple Spin Valve Giant Magneto-Resistive Heads
11. Enhanced Spin Valves
12. Synthetic Antiferro- and Ferrimagnets
13. Antiferromagnet Upsets
14. Flux-Guide and Yoke-Type Magneto-Resistive Heads
15. Double-Element Magneto-Resistive Heads
16. Comparison of Shielded Magneto-Resistive Head and Inductive Head Outputs
17. Simplified Design of a Shielded Anisotropic Magneto-Resistive Head
18. Simplified Design of a Shielded Giant Magneto-Resistive Head
19. Read Amplifiers and Signal-to-Noise Ratios
20. Colossal Magneto-Resistance and Electron Spin Tunneling Heads
21. Electrostatic Discharge Phenomena

Appendix: Cgs-emu and MKS-SI (Rationalized) Units