Abstract: In a magnetic sensor, a lower terminal layer, a magnetosensitive layer, and a cover film are simultaneously patterned into substantially the same size. The opposing surface of the lower terminal layer, which opposes the magnetosensitive film is substantially superposed on one opposing surface of the magnetosensitive film. The opposing surface of the upper terminal layer, which opposes the magnetosensitive film is formed into a shape smaller than and included in the other opposing surface of the magnetosensitive film. This implements a magnetic sensor which uses a CPP structure and is yet readily processible and which includes a substantially accurate fine CPP structure in accordance with a desired output.

Abstract: A head actuator assembly comprises a plate-like suspension having a distal end portion mounting with a magnetic head, and a trace having a relay FPC attached to the suspension through a lining plate. A head IC is mounted on the relay FPC and positioned near the magnetic head. In an area which faces the head IC, insulation layers of the FPC are removed, and an opening is formed in the lining plate and suspension. A wiring pattern of the relay FPC is exposed through this opening.

Abstract: A head having micro-positioning control. The head includes a slider body and a transducer body coupled to the slider body through a flexible interface. The transducer body is spaced from the slider body to form a gap therebetween. Micro-positioning actuators are coupled to the transducer body in the gap to provide micro-positioning control. In an embodiment for an air bearing slider, the gap includes off-track and fly height positioning control.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head has an inductive write head element including an upper core layer with a front end section magnetically coupling with an upper magnetic pole, a lower core layer with a front end section magnetically coupling with a lower magnetic pole, a coil conductor formed to pass between the upper core layer and the lower core layer, and an coil insulation layer for sandwiching the coil conductor. At least one thermal diffusion layer with a good thermal conductivity is formed on the coil insulation layer at an outside region of the upper core layer, or at least one thermal diffusion layer is formed at an outside region of the upper core layer to contact with a part of the coil conductor or to constitute a part of the coil conductor.

Abstract: A GMR bottom spin valve sensor longitudinally exchange biased with a zero net magnetic moment biasing multi-layer is provided, together with a method of forming said sensor. The sensor may be additionally biased with a hard biasing layer formed against an abutted junction. The exchange biasing provides the advantages of a highly sensitive free layer in the bottom spin valve sensor element, while producing very strong exchange pinning of the lateral ends of the free layer. The zero net magnetic moment assures stability in the lateral edge and central region of the free layer.

Abstract: A combined stripe of a magnetoresistive (MR) film and domain control stripe layers can be formed below a photoresist film on the surface of a substratum. An insulating base layer is then formed to extend over the surface of the substratum. The insulating base layer is allowed to cover over the photoresist film, the magnetoresistive film and the domain control stripe layers on the substratum. When the photoresist film is removed, the insulating base layer remains on the substratum. The insulating base layer keeps contacting the side surface of the magnetoresistive film. The magnetoresistive film can be kept covered with the insulating base layer at the side surface during a subsequent etching process. Any chemical reaction can be avoided between the magnetoresistive film and the etching gas employed in the etching process. The resulting magnetoresistive head element is allowed to exhibit an ideal characteristic in the magnetoresistive effect.

Abstract: A PtMn alloy film known as an antiferromagnetic material having excellent corrosion resistance is used for an antiferromagnetic layer. However, an exchange coupling magnetic field is decreased depending upon the conditions of crystal grain boundaries. Therefore, in the present invention, the crystal grain boundaries formed in an antiferromagnetic layer (PtMn alloy film) and the crystal grain boundaries formed in a ferromagnetic layer are made discontinuous in at least a portion of the interface between both layers. As a result, the antiferromagnetic layer can be appropriately transformed to an ordered lattice by heat treatment to obtain a larger exchange coupling magnetic field than a conventional element.

Abstract: A PtMn alloy film known as an antiferromagnetic material having excellent corrosion resistance is used for an antiferromagnetic layer. However, an exchange coupling magnetic field is decreased depending upon the conditions of crystal grain boundaries. Therefore, in the present invention, the crystal grain boundaries formed in an antiferromagnetic layer (PtMn alloy film) and the crystal grain boundaries formed in a ferromagnetic layer are made discontinuous in at least a portion of the interface between both layers. As a result, the antiferromagnetic layer can be appropriately transformed to an ordered lattice by heat treatment to obtain a larger exchange coupling magnetic field than a conventional element.

Abstract: An exchange coupling film including an antiferromagnetic layer and a ferromagnetic layer in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer so as to generate an exchange coupling magnetic field is provided. A PtMn alloy is used as the material of the antiferromagnetic layer. Crystal planes of the antiferromagnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer preferentially aligned parallel to the interface are crystallographically identical and crystallographically identical axes lying in these crystal planes are oriented, at least partly, in different directions between the antiferromagnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer. Thus, a proper order transformation occurs in the antiferromagnetic layer as a result of heat treatment and an increased exchange coupling magnetic field can be obtained.

Abstract: A clockwise helical groove is formed on the outer periphery surface of a rigid roller toward one end from the center position in the axial direction. A counter-clockwise helical groove is formed on the outer periphery surface of the roller toward the other end from the center position in the axial direction. The roller rotates, accompanied by a magnetic tape. The clockwise groove of the roller gives a regulating force, which points toward the center position, to the magnetic tape. The counter-clockwise groove of the roller gives a second regulating force, which points toward the center position, to the magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is given the regulating forces simultaneously that point toward the center position in the axial direction of the roller. The magnetic tape is restrained from swinging to one end or the other end in the axial direction of the roller, and the tape traveling becomes stable.

Abstract: Disk drives including suspensions and head gimbal assemblies in which the load beam pitch angle is reduced exhibit a reduced disk flutter induced track mis-registration (TMR) at the disk outer diameter. The reduction in the load beam pitch angle may be achieved through variations in the load beam, hinge and/or mount plate configurations, relative positions and/or thickness.

Abstract: An exchange coupling film including an antiferromagnetic layer and a ferromagnetic layer in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer so as to generate an exchange coupling magnetic field is provided. A PtMn alloy is used as the material of the antiferromagnetic layer. Crystal planes of the antiferromagnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer preferentially aligned parallel to the interface are crystallographically identical and crystallographically identical axes lying in these crystal planes are oriented, at least partly, in different directions between the antiferromagnetic layer and the ferromagnetic layer. Thus, a proper order transformation occurs in the antiferromagnetic layer as a result of heat treatment and an increased exchange coupling magnetic field can be obtained.

Abstract: A disk loading apparatus includes first and second main gears (35, 43) disposed at equal distances to each other in radial directions from the center of rotation of a disk table (85) which is the center of rotation of a disk-type recording medium at an insertion completion position of the disk-type recording medium, and first and second feed rollers (38, 46) provided at positions on the first and second main gears (35, 43) displaced from the centers of rotation of the first and second main gears (35, 43) for rolling on an outer circumferential face of the disk-type recording medium (100).

Abstract: An HGA includes a head slider with at least one head element, a precise positioning actuator fixed to the head slider for precisely positioning the at least one head element, and a support for supporting the actuator. The actuator has a pair of movable arms capable of displacing in response to a drive signal applied to the actuator. The head slider is mounted between the pair of movable arms. The head slider and the actuator are adhered by at least one adhesive film.

Abstract: A magnetic tunnel effect type magnetic head comprising a first soft magnetic conductive layer which is to provide a lower shielding layer 24, a metal oxide layer 25 and a first nonmagnetic conductive layer, formed on the first soft magnetic conductive layer, to provide a lower gap layer 26, a magnetic tunnel junction layer 34 formed on the first nonmagnetic conductive layer to provide a magnetic tunnel junction element 27, a second nonmagnetic conductive layer formed on the magnetic tunnel junction layer 34 to provide an upper gap layer 28; and a second soft magnetic conductive layer formed on the second nonmagnetic conductive layer to provide an upper shielding layer 29, the metal oxide layer 25 in the lower gap layer 26 being formed beneath at least the magnetic tunnel junction layer 27.

Abstract: A seed layer having a chromium content in the range of 35 to 60 atomic percent and a thickness of 10 to 200 ? is deposited to have a single phase of the face-centered cubic structure by optimizing the sputtering conditions, etc. The surface of the seed layer maintaining the face-centered cubic structure exhibits improved wettability, and the rate of change in resistance ?R/R can thereby be improved.

Abstract: A magnetic head having a spin valve sensor that is fabricated utilizing an Al2O3, NiMnO, NiFeCr seed layer upon which a typical PtMn spin valve sensor layer structure is subsequently fabricated. The preferred embodiment fabrication process of the NiFeCr layer includes the overdeposition of the layer to a first thickness of from 15 ? to 45 ? followed by the etching back of the seed layer of approximately 5 ? to approximately 15 ? to its desired final thickness of approximately 10 ? to 40 ?. The Cr at. % composition in the NiFeCr layer is preferably from approximately 35 at. % to approximately 46 at. %. The crystal structure of the surface of the etched back NiFeCr layer results in an improved crystal structure to the subsequently fabricated spin valve sensor layers, such that the fabricated spin valve exhibits increased ?R/R and reduced coercivity.

Abstract: Leading wires of an electrical circuit and a thin film magnetic head assembly are electrically connected with a conductive film. The leading wires are connected to an element pad and a circuit pad, respectively. An element bump is shared with the electrical circuit and the thin film magnetic assembly. Information of the processing degree of the thin film magnetic head assembly is electrically monitored via the element bump from a bonding pad which is electrically connected with the element bump.

Abstract: A magnetic tunnel effect type magnetic head comprising a first soft magnetic conductive layer which is to provide a lower shielding layer 24, a metal oxide layer 25 and a first nonmagnetic conductive layer, formed on the first soft magnetic conductive layer, to provide a lower gap layer 26, a magnetic tunnel junction layer 34 formed on the first nonmagnetic conductive layer to provide a magnetic tunnel junction element 27, a second nonmagnetic conductive layer formed on the magnetic tunnel junction layer 34 to provide an upper gap layer 28; and a second soft magnetic conductive layer formed on the second nonmagnetic conductive layer to provide an upper shielding layer 29, the metal oxide layer 25 in the lower gap layer 26 being formed beneath at least the magnetic tunnel junction layer 27.

Abstract: To make a soft magnetic underlayer of a double layered perpendicular magnetic recording medium thinner than heretofore while avoiding saturation. Assuming that Tb1 is the thickness of the soft magnetic underlayer of the double layered perpendicular magnetic recording medium, BS2 the saturation flux density of the same, Tm the thickness of a magnetic recording head's main pole 1 along a track direction in the vicinity of its floating surface, TWW the track width of the same, and BS1 the saturation flux density of the same, then Tb1<(BS1×Tm×TWW)/2(BS2×(Tm+TWW)) is satisfied.