High Speed Linear Spin-Valve Sensors for Analog Isolator Applications

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate two types of linear spin-valve sensors with excellent linearity and sensitivity as well as optimized bias points, and will also demonstrate the feasibility of their application inanalog isolator devices. The first type of linear spin-valve sensor will be designed similarly to a spin-valve recording head. The second type of linear spin-valve sensor will be designed and fabricated using a novel approach with a free ferromagnetic (FM)layer exchange-biased with an antiferromagnetic (AF) layer. The sensor performance will be optimized by materials selection and process control as well as magnetic design. The ultimate goal in this program is to fabricate and demonstrate analog isolatordevices using linear spin-valve sensors developed in Phase I. The current NVE digital isolator process will be modified into an analog isolator process for this purpose. The success of this Phase I project will provide a solid framework for the Phase IIto build high speed, linear radiation-hard analog isolator devices.The linear spin-valve sensors developed in this research has immediate application in NVE's isolator technology, which will lead to the addition of the analog isolator devices into itsisolator product catalog. In addition, the linear spin-valve materials can also be used in field sensors and read head devices.