Chan Lai To = 硏究巨磁阻自旋閥磁記錄頭的靈敏度與溫度之關係 / 陳麗圖. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-83). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chan Lai To = Yan jiu ju ci zu zi xuan fa ci ji lu tou de ling min du yu wen du zhi guan xi / Chen Litu. / Abstracts --- p.ii / 論文摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.viii / Abbreviations --- p.xi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- History of Data Storage in Computers --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Structure and Working Principle of the Recording Head of a Magnetic Disk Storage device --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Structure of a Current Magnetic Recording Head --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Principle of Recording --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.2.1 --- General Operating Principle of a Magnetic Recording Head --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.2.2 --- Principle of Recording using AMR Elements --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.2.3 --- Principle of Recording using GMR Elements --- p.14 / Chapter 1.3 --- Reliability of Magnetic Recording Heads --- p.23 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Importance in the Determination of Reliability of Magnetic Recording Heads --- p.23 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Current Relevant Reliability Issues in the Field --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4 --- Objectives of the Thesis Work --- p.24 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Methodology --- p.25 / Chapter 2.1 --- Sample Preparation --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2 --- Principle of Amplitude Thermal Robustness Measurements --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Black's Equation --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Thermal Coefficient (TC) or Temperature Resistivity Coefficient Test --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Temperature Rise (TR) --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Thermal Electrical (TE) Stress Test (Accelerated Test) --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Maximum MR Resistance for Normal Device Operation --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3 --- Magnetic Field Effects Induced by the Biasing Current in an ATR Measurement --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Experimental Results and Data Analysis --- p.41 / Chapter 3.1 --- Results of the ATR Measurement --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Thermal Coefficient (TC) Test Result --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Temperature Rise (TR) Results --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Thermal Electrical (TE) Stress Test Result --- p.51 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Maximum MR Resistance for Normal Device Operation --- p.60 / Chapter 3.2 --- Preliminary Data from the Magnetic Field Effects Induced by the Biasing Current in an ATR Measurement --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Discussion of Results and Failure Mechanisms --- p.62 / Chapter 4.1 --- Summary of the ATR characteristics of GMR heads --- p.62 / Chapter 4.2 --- "Comparison of ATR characteristics of AMR and GMR, and Discussion of Failure Mechanisms" --- p.63 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- ATR characteristics and Failure Mechanisms of AMR --- p.63 / Chapter 4.2.1.1 --- Summary of ATR characteristics of AMR heads --- p.63 / Chapter 4.2.1.2 --- Electromigration (EM) Induced Failure in AMR --- p.65 / Chapter 4.2.1.3 --- Diffusion Induced Failure in AMR --- p.67 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Possibility of Diffusion Induced Failure in GMR --- p.68 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Possibility of EM Induced Failure in GMR --- p.69 / Chapter 4.3 --- Magnetic-field Dependent ATR characteristics of GMR --- p.69 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Temperature Dependence of the Exchange Coupling Field --- p.70 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Rotation or Reversal of Magnetic Moments of the Pinned Layer --- p.75 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Relaxation of the Magnetization of the Pinning Layer --- p.77 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusions and Suggestions for Future Work --- p.78 / References --- p.80