Effects of the Hard - Biased Field on the Magnetic and Magnetoresistive Properties of a Crossed Spin - Valve Head by Computer Simulation

The effects of a hard-biased Held on the magnetic and magnetoresistive properties of a crossed spin-valve head are investigated by computer simulation with particular emphasis on the asymmetry of the output signal. The spin-valve considered in this work is NiMn (25 nm)/NiFe (2.5 m)/Cu (3 nm)/NiFe (5.5 m), with a length of 1500 m and a width of 600 nm. A simple model is used where each magnetic layer consists of a single domain, and the magnetoresistance is a function of the angle between the magnetization directions of the two magnetic layers. The ideal crossed spin-valve structure is not realized with the present model and magnetic parameters, but the deviation from ideality is decreased by the hard-biased field. This results in the improvement of the linearity of the output signal with the use of the bias field. The magnetoresistance ratio and magnetoresistive sensitivity, however are reduced. The magnetic properties including the magnetoresistance are found to be strongly affected by magnetostatic interactions, particularly the inter-layer magnetostatic field.