Abstract: This head gimbals assembly has a head slider, a flexure, and a load beam. The head slider has a head element and slider-side connection terminals. The flexure has a free end, a fixed end, a slider mounting portion and suspension-side connection terminals connected to the slider-side connection terminals. The load beam fixes a fixed end of the flexure on the side opposite to a flexure surface on which the head slider is mounted a connecting portion for interconnecting the suspension-side connection terminals and the slider mounting portion has higher resiliency than other portion of the connecting portion. According to a suspension in the present embodiment, a head gimbals assembly can be easily manufactured without wastefully discarding the suspension even when the desired evaluation result is not obtained because of problems in the head characteristics and the floating surface of the head slider.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive reproducing head includes first and second free magnetic layers. A non-magnetic layer is provided between the first and second free magnetic layers. A bias applying layer having a single region applies a bias magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the medium facing plane of the first free-magnetic layer and the second free-magnetic layer. An electrode is electrically connected to the first free-magnetic layer, the second free-magnetic layer, and the non-magnetic layer. In response to a magnetic field generated when a current is applied to the first free-magnetic layer, the second free-magnetic layer, and the non-magnetic layer in a direction perpendicular to the medium facing plane, magnetizations of the first free-magnetic and the second free-magnetic layer are tilted in opposite directions from a direction perpendicular to the medium facing plane.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element 11 is formed with inclusion of a free layer 12, a pinned layer 13, an antiferromagnetic layer 14 for pinning the pinned layer 13, an intermediate layer 15 provided between the free layer 12 and the pinned layer 13, and a ferromagnetic layer 16 for applying a longitudinal bias magnetic field to the free layer. After initial magnetization, characteristic evaluation is conducted for the magnetoresistive element 11. Intensity of longitudinal bias field is adjusted by magnetizing again in a direction different from that of the initial magnetization, if required, on the basis of the evaluation result.

Abstract: The magnetoresistance is measured for a magnetoresistive layered-structure, such as a spin valve film, prior to formation of an upper shield layer as well as patterning of a lower shield layer. The magnetic influence of the upper and lower shield layers can completely be eliminated during the measurement of the magnetoresistance. The magnetoresistive layered-structure is allowed to reliably receive the magnetic field over a wider range including a lower magnetic field range. It is accordingly possible to measure the magnetoresistance properly reflecting the magnetic characteristic of the magnetoresistive layered-structure. It is possible to find deficiency of a magnetoresistive read element at an earlier stage of the method.

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: A magnetic head of a magnetoresistance type is provided. The magnetic head comprises a magnetoresistance film, an underlying layer formed on each of both sides of the magnetoresistance film, and a magnetic-domain regulating film formed on the underlying layer so as to regulate a magnetic domain of a free magnetic layer in the magnetoresistance film. The underlying layer has a laminated structure of a tungsten-(W)-group metal layer formed on a tantalum-(Ta)-group metal layer. The underlying layer is formed so thick as to arrange the magnetic-domain regulating film at a position corresponding to the free magnetic layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is, in a magnetoresistive head having a magnetoresistive film that exhibits a change of resistance according to a direction of magnetization wherein information is reproduced from a magnetic recording medium by detecting the change of resistance of the magnetoresistive film, and an information reproduction apparatus that reproduces information from the magnetic recording medium by detecting the change of resistance of the magnetoresistive film, to provide a magnetoresistive head with heat generation being suppressed even if a current density of a sense current through a magnetoresistive film is high, and an information reproduction apparatus provided with such a magnetoresistive head. A height of a center portion of the magnetoresistive film is shorter than a height of end portions thereof, or a width of the end portion of the magnetoresistive film varies with height.

Abstract: The magnetoresistance is measured for a magnetoresistive layered-structure, such as a spin valve film, prior to formation of an upper shield layer as well as patterning of a lower shield layer. The magnetic influence of the upper and lower shield layers can completely be eliminated during the measurement of the magnetoresistance. The magnetoresistive layered-structure is allowed to reliably receive the magnetic field over a wider range including a lower magnetic field range. It is accordingly possible to measure the magnetoresistance properly reflecting the magnetic characteristic of the magnetoresistive layered-structure. It is possible to find deficiency of a magnetoresistive read element at an earlier stage of the method.

Abstract: A magnetic head of a magnetoresistance type is provided. The magnetic head comprises a magnetoresistance film, an underlying layer formed on each of both sides of the magnetoresistance film, and a magnetic-domain regulating film formed on the underlying layer so as to regulate a magnetic domain of a free magnetic layer in the magnetoresistance film. The underlying layer has a laminated structure of a tungsten-(W)-group metal layer formed on a tantalum-(Ta)-group metal layer. The underlying layer is formed so thick as to arrange the magnetic-domain regulating film at a position corresponding to the free magnetic layer.

Abstract: A spin valve magnetoresistive effect type element assessment device includes a head assaying device having a magnetic disk provided with an assaying track where magnetic information is recorded, an oscilloscope for receiving a reproducing signal from an SV head employing an SV element through an amplifier, and a PC for measuring a track profile, namely, data representing relative position dependency of an output from the SV head with respect to the assaying track by controlling the head assaying device and oscilloscope.

Abstract: A spin-valve magneto-resistive element is provided with a free magnetic layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first stacked structure including a first nonmagnetic metal layer, a first pinned magnetic layer and a first antiferromagnetic layer which are successively stacked on the first surface of the free magnetic layer, and a second stacked structure including a second nonmagnetic metal layer, a second pinned magnetic layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer which are successively stacked on the second surface of the free magnetic layer. A direction of an exchange coupled field between the first pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer and a direction of an exchange coupled field between the second pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer are antiparallel.

Abstract: The magnetoresistive read head comprises a hard magnetic bias layer formed along the end surface of a magnetoresistive layer or spin valve layer extending over the level plane. The tip end of the hard magnetic bias layer reaches or overlaps the top surface of the magnetoresistive layer. The overlap amount is measured from the tip end of the hard magnetic bias layer to the terminal end of the free magnetic layer. The overlap amount smaller than 0.282 &mgr;m serves to reduce Barkhausen noise appearing in the output from the magnetoresistive layer. In addition, when an inclination angle is set larger than 40° between the end surface and the level plane, a larger amount of hard magnetic bias layer is allowed to cover the top surface of the magnetoresistive layer.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a magnetic head whose reproduction waveform has small distortions.

Abstract: A spin valve magnetoresistive effect type element assessment device includes a head assaying device having a magnetic disk provided with an assaying track where magnetic information is recorded, an oscilloscope for receiving a reproducing signal from an SV head employing an SV element through an amplifier, and a PC for measuring a track profile, namely, data representing relative position dependency of an output from the SV head with respect to the assaying track by controlling the head assaying device and oscilloscope.