A thermodynamic study of ESD and EOS induced pinned layer reversal in GMR sensors

Most Giant Magnetoresistive GMR sensors use antiparallel (AP) pinned ferromagnets stabilized with Mn-based antiferromagnets (AFMs). We show that with IrMn and PtMn AFMs, the thermodynamics of the reversal of the pinned layer magnetic orientation following a reverse bias current is governed by an Arrhenius temperature dependence associated with the AP pinned ferromagnets rather than a Blocking, Néel or Curie temperature. ©2009 ESDA.