Spin-valve MR heads for tape and disk applications

Unshielded spin-valve sensors, exchange biased with TbCo (trackwidths from 2 to 80 /spl mu/m) and with NiO (2 /spl mu/m trackwidth) have been fabricated, showing a well-linearized and Barkhausen noise free behaviour. The response at low frequency of these TbCo biased sensors and the performance of a TbCo biased head, implemented into a tape drive, is described. The results of shielded TbCo exchange biased sensors are discussed.