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Read heads using current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) giant magnetoresistance sensors have been fabricated and tested under highdensity recording conditions. A magnetoresistance of 5.5% and shield-to-shield spacing of 45 nm have been achieved by using an all-metal single-spin-valve with Heusler-alloy-based free and reference magnetic layers. Read heads with magnetic read widths ~45 nm were tested on perpendicular media, resulting in signals above 1 mV and signal-to-noise ratio ~30 dB. Linear densities in excess of 1050 kbpi were achieved with thermal fly-height control, compatible with recording areal densities of ~ 400 Gb/in (2). Current-induced spin-torque effects in the recording head were observed to result in rapid performance degradation above a threshold bias voltage of about 75 mV, corresponding to current densities > 10 (8) A/cm (2). Index Terms--CPP-GMR, magnetic recording, read-head, spin-valve.

We model the dynamic polarization behavior of ferroelectric films by an analytical approach. Using a parallelogramlike P-E hysteresis model, explicit expressions were obtained for describing the D-E loops of ferroelectric films as would be measured from a Sawyer-Tower circuit. By introducing the consideration of electrical conduction, resistive losses inflate the ferroelectric loop to some extent. In addition, an asymmetric conduction will result in polarization offsets with the magnitude and direction depending on the asymmetric conductivities of the materials. The inflated loop, as well as the offset phenomena, which have been observed experimentally [e.g., L. Zheng, C. Lin, W.-P. Xu, and M. Okuyama, J. Appl. Phys. 79, 8634 (1996)], will be discussed by means of our modeled results. Some simple exact formulas have been derived and the effects of electric, dielectric, and ferroelectric parameters, as well as the applied field on the “apparent” polarization were also examined. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]