Abstract: A giant magneto-resistive effect device having a CPP structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetization layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with the spacer layer interposed between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer formed between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type oxide semiconductor. When the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers are formed in order, the first nonmagnetic metal layer is formed prior to the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and an anti-oxidizing layer is formed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The anti-oxidizing layer is formed of a material incapable of producing a Schottky barrier upon joining to the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, and an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider. The slider includes: a substrate; and an MR element, two reproduction wiring layers, a coil, two recording wiring layers, a magnetic pole, a near-field light generating element, and a waveguide that are stacked above the top surface of the substrate. The two reproduction wiring layers supply a sense current to the MR element. The two recording wiring layers supply a coil current to the coil. The laser diode has an emitting end face including an emission part for emitting laser light, and a bottom surface. The laser diode is arranged so that the bottom surface faces the top surface of the slider. As viewed from above, the laser diode does not overlap the two reproduction wiring layers but overlaps at least one of the two recording wiring layers.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive device with CPP structure, comprising a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked and formed with said nonmagnetic intermediate layer interposed between them, wherein each of said first and second ferromagnetic layers comprises a sensor area joining to the nonmagnetic intermediate layer and a magnetization direction control area that extends further rearward from the position of the rear end of said nonmagnetic intermediate layer; a magnetization direction control multilayer arrangement is interposed at an area where the magnetization direction control area for said first ferromagnetic layer is opposite to the magnetization direction control area for said second ferromagnetic layer to produce magnetizations of the said first and second ferromagnetic layers which are antiparallel with each other; and said sensor area is provided at both width direction ends with biasing layers working such that the mutually antiparallel magnetiza

Abstract: The invention provides a CPP-GMR device comprising a spacer layer. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer interposed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and further comprises a work function control layer formed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer and/or between the second nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type semiconductor, and the work function control layer is made of a material having a work function smaller than that of said first nonmagnetic metal layer, and said second nonmagnetic metal layer. It is thus possible to obtain by far more improved advantages.

Abstract: A magnetic thin film has: a pinned layer whose magnetization direction is fixed with respect to an external magnetic field; a free layer whose magnetization direction is changed in accordance with the external magnetic field; and a non-magnetic spacer layer that is sandwiched between said the pinned layer and the free layer, wherein sense current is configured to flow in a direction that is perpendicular to film surfaces of the pinned layer, the non-magnetic spacer layer, and the free layer. The non-magnetic spacer layer has a first layer which includes SnO2, and a pair of second layers which are provided to sandwich the first layer, the second layers being made of a material which exhibits a higher corrosion potential than Sn.

Abstract: In an MR element, first and second ferromagnetic layers are antiferromagnetically coupled to each other through a spacer layer, and have magnetizations that are in opposite directions when no external magnetic field is applied thereto and that change directions in response to an external magnetic field. The spacer layer and the second ferromagnetic layer are stacked in this order on the first ferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer includes a plurality of ferromagnetic material layers stacked, and an insertion layer made of a nonmagnetic material and inserted between respective two of the ferromagnetic material layers that are adjacent to each other along the direction in which the layers are stacked. The ferromagnetic material layers and the spacer layer each include a component whose crystal structure is a face-centered cubic structure.

Abstract: The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device (CPP-GMR device) having a CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetized layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with said spacer layer interposed between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction, wherein the free layer functions such that the direction of magnetization changes depending on an external magnetic field, and the spacer layer comprises a first and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor oxide layer interposed between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, wherein the semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer is made of zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, and indium tin oxide (ITO), the first nonmagnetic metal layer is made of Cu, and the second nonmagnetic metal layer is substantially made of Zn.

Abstract: A pinned layer of an MR element includes an underlying magnetic layer made of a magnetic alloy layer having a body-centered cubic structure, and a Heusler alloy layer formed on the underlying magnetic layer. A free layer of the MR element includes an underlying magnetic layer made of a magnetic alloy layer having a body-centered cubic structure, and a Heusler alloy layer formed on the underlying magnetic layer. Each of these two Heusler alloy layers is made of a CoMnSi alloy having an Mn content higher than 25 atomic percent and lower than or equal to 40 atomic percent, and contains a principal component having a B2 structure in which Co atoms are placed at body-centered positions of unit cells and Mn atoms or Si atoms are randomly placed at vertexes of the unit cells.

Abstract: An MR element incorporates a nonmagnetic conductive layer, and a pinned layer and a free layer that are disposed to sandwich the nonmagnetic conductive layer. Each of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer. The Heusler alloy layer contains a Heusler alloy in which atoms of a magnetic metallic element are placed at body-centered positions of unit cells, and an additive element that is a nonmagnetic metallic element that does not constitute the Heusler alloy. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a region in which the concentration of the additive element increases as the distance from the nonmagnetic conductive layer decreases, the region being adjacent to the nonmagnetic conductive layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element is structured in the manner that the antiferromagnetic layer interposed between the upper and lower shields is eliminated and the antiferromagnetic layer is positioned in a so-called shield layer. Therefore, it is realized to solve a pin reversal problem and to allow narrower tracks and narrower read gaps.

Abstract: A free layer of an MR element incorporates a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, a fourth layer, a fifth layer and a sixth layer that are stacked in this order on a nonmagnetic conductive layer. The absolute value of magnetostriction constant of the free layer is 1×10?6 or smaller. The coercivity of the free layer is 20×79.6 A/m or smaller. The first layer is made of an alloy containing ‘a’ atomic percent cobalt and (100?a) atomic percent iron wherein ‘a’ falls within a range of 20 to 50 inclusive. The second layer is made of an alloy containing ‘b’ atomic percent cobalt and (100?b) atomic percent iron wherein ‘b’ falls within a range of 70 to 90 inclusive. In addition, oxidation treatment is given to a surface of the second layer farther from the first layer.

Abstract: An MR element includes: a free layer having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to a signal magnetic field; a pinned layer having a fixed direction of magnetization; and a spacer layer disposed between these layers. The spacer layer includes a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer that is made of a material containing an oxide semiconductor and that is disposed between the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers. The MR element has a resistance-area product within a range of 0.1 to 0.3?·?m2, and the spacer layer has a conductivity within a range of 133 to 432 S/cm.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element used for a thin film magnetic head is configured by a buffer layer, an anti-ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a free layer, and a cap layer, which are laminated in this order, and a sense current flows through the element in a direction orthogonal to the layer surface, via a lower shield layer and a upper shield layer. The pinned layer comprises an outer layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and an inner layer which is a ferromagnetic layer. The spacer layer comprises a first and second non-magnetic metal layer, and a semiconductor layer. The first and second non-magnetic metal layer and comprise CuPt films having a thickness of more than 0 nm but no more than 2.0 nm, and the Pt content ranges from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 25 at %.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element (MR element) for use in a thin-film magnetic head has a buffer layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a free layer, and a cap layer that are successively stacked. A sense current flows in a direction perpendicular to layer surfaces via a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer. The pinned layer comprises an outer layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and an inner layer in the form of a ferromagnetic layer. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer, a semiconductor layer made of ZnO, and a second nonmagnetic metal layer. The inner layer or the outer layer includes a diffusion blocking layer made of an oxide of an element whose electronegativity is equal to or smaller than Zn, e.g., ZnO, TaO, ZrO, MgO, TiO, or HfO, or made of RuO.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a free layer having a magnetization direction variable depending on an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between the pinned layer and the free layer. The free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer and a magnetostriction reduction layer made of a 4th group element, a 5th group element, or a 6th group element.

Abstract: In an MR element, each of a pinned layer and a free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer. The Heusler alloy layer has two surfaces that are quadrilateral in shape and face toward opposite directions. The Heusler alloy layer includes one crystal grain that touches four sides of one of the two surfaces. In a method of manufacturing the MR element, a layered film to be the MR element is formed and patterned, and then heat treatment is performed on the layered film patterned, so that crystal grains included in a film to be the Heusler alloy layer in the layered film grow and one crystal grain that touches four sides of one of the surfaces of the film to be the Heusler alloy layer is thereby formed.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive effect element includes a free layer having a magnetization direction which varies with respect to an external magnetic field; a pinned layer which includes a stacked structure comprising an outer pinned layer which has a magnetization direction that is fixed with respect to the external magnetic field, a non-magnetic intermediate layer which is made of ruthenium with a thickness of about 0.4 nm, and an inner pinned layer with a thickness of 3 nm or more, wherein the inner pinned layer has a magnetization direction which is fixed with respect to the external magnetic field due to anti-ferromagnetic coupling with the outer pinned layer via the non-magnetic intermediate layer; and a spacer layer sandwiched between the free layer and the inner pinned layer. Sense current flows through the pinned layer, the spacer layer, and the free layer substantially in a stacked direction.

Abstract: The semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer in the inventive giant magnetoresistive device (CPP-GMR device) is composed of zinc oxide of wurtzite structure that is doped with a dopant given by at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ge, V, and Cr in a content of 0.05 to 0.90 at %: there is the advantage obtained that ever higher MR ratios are achievable while holding back an increase in the area resistivity AR.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic field detecting element has the steps of: forming stacked layers by sequentially depositing a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a spacer adjoining layer which is adjacent to the spacer layer, a metal layer, and a Heusler alloy layer in this order, such that the layers adjoin each other; and heat treating the stacked layers in order to form the free layer out of the spacer adjoining layer, the metal layer, and the Heusler alloy layer. The spacer adjoining layer is mainly formed of cobalt and iron, and has a body centered cubic structure, and the metal layer is formed of an element selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, copper, palladium, or platinum, or is formed of an alloy thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device (CPP-GMR device) having a CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetized layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with said spacer layer interleaved between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction, wherein the spacer layer comprises a first and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor oxide layer interleaved between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, wherein the semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer is made of indium oxide (In2O3), or the semiconductor oxide layer contains indium oxide (In2O3) as its main component, and an oxide containing a tetravalent cation of SnO2 is contained in the indium oxide that is the main component.