Abstract: A soft magnetic layer is made of nickel iron alloy containing crystals of the face-centered cubic lattice and crystals of the body-centered cubic lattice. The face-centered cubic lattice serves to establish a soft magnetic property in the nickel iron alloy. The body-centered cubic lattice contributes to reduction in the electric resistance of the magnetoresistive film as well as to improvement of the magnetoresistive ratio of the magnetoresistive film. Even if the magnetoresistive film is further reduced in size, the magnetoresistive film can sufficiently be prevented from suffering from an increase in the temperature. Even if a sensing current of a larger current value is supplied to the magnetoresistive film, the magnetoresistive film is reliably prevented from deterioration in the characteristics as well as destruction.

Abstract: A thin-film forming method and a thin-film forming apparatus can suppress the oxidization of a magnetic layer composed of a non-oxide material when a film of oxide is formed on the magnetic layer by sputtering that is suited to mass production. A multilayer film with a low RA value can be produced by such method and apparatus. A thin-film forming method that forms a thin film of oxide on the surface of a substrate by dispersing the oxide inside a chamber includes an enclosing step of enclosing the substrate in the chamber and an adsorbing step of adsorbing excess oxygen present inside the chamber by providing an adsorption unit, which adsorbs oxygen, inside the chamber.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive film includes a pinned ferromagnetic layer, a free ferromagnetic layer, an intermediate layer interposed between the pinned and free ferromagnetic layers, and a pinning layer contacting the pinned ferromagnetic layer. The free ferromagnetic layer is made of a ferromagnetic layered material including a cobalt nickel iron alloy layer, and a cobalt iron alloy layer laid over the cobalt nickel iron alloy layer. It has been demonstrated that the cobalt nickel iron alloy layer serves to reliably establish the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in the cobalt iron alloy layer. Moreover, even if the thickness of the cobalt nickel iron alloy layer as well as the cobalt iron alloy layer is reduced, the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy can surely be maintained in the ferromagnetic layered material.

Abstract: The layered magnetic film has high saturation magnetic flux density and superior soft magnetic characteristics and can be used as a material of a write-head of a magnetic head capable of recording data with high recording density. The layered magnetic film comprises: at least one magnetic layer mainly made of iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co); and at least one NiFe layer, the magnetic layer and the NiFe layer are alternately layered, and the NiFe layer is a discontinuous film.

Abstract: The magnetoresistance effect film is capable of performing enough function without employing an antiferromagnetic layer. The film comprises: a seed layer; a first pinned magnetic layer formed on the seed layer; an antiferromagnetically coupling layer formed on the first pinned magnetic layer; a second pinned magnetic layer formed on the antiferromagnetically coupling layer; a nonmagnetic layer formed on the second pinned magnetic layer; a free magnetic layer formed on the nonmagnetic layer; and a protection layer formed on the free magnetic layer. The seed layer fixes magnetizing directions of the first and the second pinned magnetic layer. The seed layer is made of a material which does not exchange-couple with the first pinned magnetic layer.

Abstract: The soft magnetic film has superior soft magnetic characteristics and is suitable for a thin film magnetic head. The soft magnetic film of the present invention comprises: a magnetic base layer including a ferromagnetic element; and a ferromagnetic layer being piled on the magnetic base layer. The soft magnetic film has uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. The magnetic base layer includes at least one element selected from Fe, Ni and Co as the ferromagnetic element.

Abstract: A soft magnetic layer is made of nickel iron alloy containing crystals of the face-centered cubic lattice and crystals of the body-centered cubic lattice. The face-centered cubic lattice serves to establish a soft magnetic property in the nickel iron alloy. The body-centered cubic lattice contributes to reduction in the electric resistance of the magnetoresistive film as well as to improvement of the magnetoresistive ratio of the magnetoresistive film. Even if the magnetoresistive film is further reduced in size, the magnetoresistive film can sufficiently be prevented from suffering from an increase in the temperature. Even if a sensing current of a larger current value is supplied to the magnetoresistive film, the magnetoresistive film is reliably prevented from deterioration in the characteristics as well as destruction.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive spin-valve sensor is constructed to include a magnetic layer, a specular layer made of a metal oxide, a back layer made of Au, Cu, AuCu, AgCu, AuAgCu or an alloy thereof and interposed between the magnetic layer and the specular layer, and a metal layer disposed adjacent to the specular layer, opposite to the back layer, and made of a metal which improves GMR performance of the magnetoresistive spin-valve sensor.

Abstract: A soft magnetic layer is made of nickel iron alloy containing crystals of the face-centered cubic lattice and crystals of the body-centered cubic lattice. The face-centered cubic lattice serves to establish a soft magnetic property in the nickel iron alloy. The body-centered cubic lattice contributes to reduction in the electric resistance of the magnetoresistive film as well as to improvement of the magnetoresistive ratio of the magnetoresistive film. Even if the magnetoresistive film is further reduced in size, the magnetoresistive film can sufficiently be prevented from suffering from an increase in the temperature. Even if a sensing current of a larger current value is supplied to the magnetoresistive film, the magnetoresistive film is reliably prevented from deterioration in the characteristics as well as destruction.

Abstract: There is provided a magnetic material with a high saturation magnetization of 2.46 teslas or above. By using this magnetic material in a recording head, it is possible to record information with a higher density on a recording medium. The magnetic material can also be applied to various kinds of solid-state devices. A magnetic film for a magnetic device is composed of a multilayer film where ferromagnetic films and palladium films or alloy films including palladium are alternately laminated. The laminated palladium films or alloy films including palladium have a main crystal structure that is a body-centered cubic structure, and the multilayer film is formed by dry processing.

Abstract: There is provided a magnetic material with a high saturation magnetization of 2.46 teslas or above. By using this magnetic material in a recording head, it is possible to record information with a higher density on a recording medium. The magnetic material can also be applied to various kinds of solid-state devices. The magnetic material is composed of an alloy film made of iron, cobalt, and palladium, wherein a mole percentage content of palladium is set equal to 0.7% or greater but less than 1.0%, and the magnetic material is formed by dry processing.

Abstract: The spin valve reproducing head has a narrow track width and high stability. The spin valve reproducing head comprises: a base layer; a magnetoresistance effect film having a magnetic sensing section; biasing sections formed on both sides of the magnetoresistance effect film; terminal sections; an insulating layer covering said members; and an upper shielding layer formed on the insulating layer. The magnetoresistance effect film includes a fixed magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer and a free magnetic layer piled in that order. And a non-magnetic electric conductive layer, whose resistivity is lower than that of the free magnetic layer, and an etching stop layer, whose sputtering rate is higher than that of tantalum and lower than that of copper, are piled on the free magnetic layer in that order.

Abstract: In the magnetic film, projection of a magnetic pole, which is caused when a magnetic head is heated, can be restrained. The magnetic film can be applied to a magnetic head of a hard disk drive unit capable of recording data with high recording density. The magnetic film comprises: a first alloy film made of an alloy of iron (Fe) and platinum (Pt), or an alloy of iron (Fe), platinum (Pt) and other metal or metals; and a second alloy film directly layered on the first alloy film, the second alloy film made of an alloy of at least two metals selected from a group including iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co). Molar content of iron (Fe) in the first alloy film is 63-74%.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive spin-valve sensor is constructed to include a magnetic layer, a specular layer made of a metal oxide, a back layer made of Au, Cu, AuCu, AgCu, AuAgCu or an alloy thereof and interposed between the magnetic layer and the specular layer, and a metal layer disposed adjacent to the specular layer, opposite to the back layer, and made of a metal which improves GMR performance of the magnetoresistive spin-valve sensor.

Abstract: The magnetoresistance effect film has a magnetic oxide layer for fixing a magnetizing direction of a pinned magnetic layer and a greater MR ratio. The magnetoresistance effect film has a layered structure, in which a seed layer, the magnetic oxide layer, the pinned magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a free magnetic layer are layered in this order, wherein the seed layer is an oxide layer being made of or including an oxide, which has a sodium chrolide (NaCl) type crystal structure, whose energy gap is 1 eV or more, and which is nonmagnetizable at room temperature, and wherein the magnetic oxide layer is an oxide layer including ferrite, which includes cobalt.

Abstract: The magnetic film of a magnetic device can be practically used and can have saturation magnetization greater than 2.45T. The magnetic film is an alloy film consisting of iron, cobalt and palladium. Molar content of palladium is 1-7%, and the alloy film is formed by a spattering method. Another magnetic film comprises a ferromagnetic film, and a palladium film or an alloy film including palladium, which are alternately layered. Thickness of the palladium film or the alloy film including palladium is 0.05-0.28 nm, and the layered films are formed by a spattering method or a evaporation method.

Abstract: The magnetoresistance effect element can be manufactured by a conventional process and is capable of restricting influences of noises or leaked magnetic signals so that magnetic recording density can be highly improved. The magnetoresistance effect element comprises: a magnetoresistance film including a free layer; and shielding sections being respectively provided on the both sides of the free layer in a direction of track width, the shielding sections being soft magnetic films.

Abstract: The magnetoresistance effect film is capable of performing enough function without employing an antiferromagnetic layer. The film comprises: a seed layer; a first pinned magnetic layer formed on the seed layer; an antiferromagnetically coupling layer formed on the first pinned magnetic layer; a second pinned magnetic layer formed on the antiferromagnetically coupling layer; a nonmagnetic layer formed on the second pinned magnetic layer; a free magnetic layer formed on the nonmagnetic layer; and a protection layer formed on the free magnetic layer. The seed layer fixes magnetizing directions of the first and the second pinned magnetic layer. The seed layer is made of a material which does not exchange-couple with the first pinned magnetic layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a magnetic head whose reproduction waveform has small distortions, and forming a hard magnetism layer for applying a bias magnetic field to a magnetoresistive element, which is a multilayer film including a fixed magnetic layer having magnetization fixed to a first direction and a free magnetic layer having an easy axis of magnetization that is directed to a second direction, is formed in an area including at least one of a front area in the first direction and a rear area in the first direction.

Abstract: 5 There is disclosed a magnetoresistive head in which an interlayer coupling field Hin applied to a free magnetic layer is minimized. The magnetoresistive head is provided with a magnetoresistive film including: a first antiferromagnetic layer 2; a pinned magnetic layer 3 formed on the first antiferromagnetic layer 2 and provided with magnetization whose direction is fixed; a first nonmagnetic layer 4 formed on the pinned magnetic layer 3; a free magnetic layer 5 formed on the first nonmagnetic layer 4 and provided with magnetization whose direction changes in accordance with an external magnetic field; a second nonmagnetic layer 6 formed on the free magnetic layer 5; and a second antiferromagnetic layer 7, formed on the second nonmagnetic layer 6, for applying a bias magnetic field generated by static interlayer coupling and directed in a direction opposite to magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer 3 to the free magnetic layer 5.