Thermal and spin-torque noise in CPP (TMR and/or GMR) read sensors

Abstract

This paper considers magnetization fluctuations (mag-noise) in current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) read sensors, due to either thermal fluctuations or spin-torque induced instability. The former are relevant to both tunneling (TMR) and giant-magnetoresistance (GMR) devices, the latter a potentially more serious limitation most relevant to all-metal GMR sensors. Discussion of thermal mag-noise is here treated by micromagnetic simulation. Discussion of spin-torque instability includes analytical modeling combined with experimental measurements.