Current perpendicular-to-the-plane spin valve type magnetoresistive transducer

A transducer includes a spin valve ("SV") structure comprising a pinned ferromagnetic layer adjoining a first end portion thereof and a freely rotating ferromagnetic layer adjoining an oppositely disposed second end portion thereof. First and second current conductors adjoin the first and second end portions of the spin valve structure respectively in a current perpendicular-to-the-plane configuration ("CPP"). In a particular embodiment disclosed herein, a differential CPP transducer includes a pair of SV structures having first and second current conductors with a common current conductor intermediate the SV structures.