Abstract: An in-stack bias is provided for stabilizing the free layer of a ballistic magneto resistive (BMR) sensor. In-stack bias includes a decoupling layer that is a spacer between the free layer and a ferromagnetic stabilizer layer of the in-stack bias, and an anti-ferromagnetic layer positioned above the ferromagnetic layer. The spacer is a nano-contact layer having magnetic particles positioned in a non-magnetic matrix. The free layer may be single layer, composed or synthetic, and the in-stack bias may be laterally bounded by the sidewalls, or alternatively, extend above the sidewalls and spacer. Additionally, a hard bias may also be provided. The spacer of the in-stack bias results in the reduction of the exchange coupling between the free layer and ferromagnetic stabilizing layer, an improved A?R due to confinement of current flow through a smaller area, and increased MR due to the domain wall created within the magnetic nano-contact.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly includes a magnetic head slider with at least one thin-film magnetic head element, a support member for supporting the magnetic head slider at a top end portion thereof, a drive circuit electrically connected to the at least one thin-film magnetic head element, and at least two diode elements connected toward one direction in parallel with terminals which are connected across the at least one thin-film magnetic head element. Each of the diode elements has a turn-on voltage higher than the maximum output voltage of the at least one thin-film magnetic head element.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a magnetic head device comprising a slider having a magnetic head element, a suspension structure made of a thin resilient material and having one end supporting the slider and the other end to be attached to another member, and a head IC chip. The head IC chip is mounted on the suspension structure so as to face a magnetic recording disc and at a position spaced from the slider-supporting one end of the suspension structure by an intervening portion of the suspension structure. The position is selected so that the intervening portion is effective to suppress a temperature increase in the head IC chip due to at least thermal conduction through the intervening portion.

Abstract: An organic EL device includes an anode, a cathode having optical transparency, and an organic EL layer disposed between the anode and the cathode and including at least a fluorescent layer. The cathode has a metal layer including a first metal and a low work function metal, and a conductive oxide layer arranged in this order from the organic EL layer side, and the work function of the low work function metal is smaller than the work function of the first metal. The metal layer has a first surface on the organic EL layer side and a second surface on the conductive oxide layer side, and the concentration of the low work function metal at the first surface is greater than the concentration of the low work function metal at the second surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is provided with an antiferromagnetic layer; a pinned layer comprising a first ferromagnetic layer, in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer having a direction of magnetization opposite from that of the first ferromagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers; a free layer; and an intermediate layer disposed between the pinned layer and the free layer. The first ferromagnetic layer of the pinned layer is provided with a first layer comprising a ferromagnetic material, and a second layer, disposed between the first layer and the nonmagnetic spacer layer, comprising a ferromagnetic material. The first layer has a bulk scattering coefficient lower than that of the second layer.

Abstract: The thin-film magnetic head of the present invention is provided with an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is fixed by exchange-coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer, a free layer whose direction of magnetization varies according to external magnetic field, an intermediate layer disposed between the pinned layer and free layer, and a pair of electrode layers for supplying a sense current in a layer thickness direction of the free layer. One electrode layer is connected to the pinned layer. Due to this configuration, a sense current flows through the free layer, the intermediate layer, and the pinned layer, but basically does not flow through the antiferromagnetic layer. As a consequence, the antiferromagnetic layer does not contribute to total resistance of the magnetoresistance element, allowing a high magnetoresistance ratio to be obtained.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording apparatus includes a perpendicular double-layer film medium including a stack of a soft magnetic backing layer and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer in which recording is performed under a condition that a recording track pitch as a total of a recording track width and a guard-band width between recording tracks is set to be 1 &mgr;m or less, and a perpendicular magnetic recording head including a recording main pole, an auxiliary pole disposed at a gap having a length of five or less times the guard-band width with respect to the recording main pole, and an exciting coil.

Abstract: A HSA includes a magnetic head slider with at least one thin-film magnetic head element, an actuator fixed to the magnetic head slider for performing precise positioning of the at least one thin-film magnetic head element, an IC chip having a first circuit for the thin-film magnetic head element and a second circuit for driving the actuator, and a suspension for supporting the actuator and the IC chip.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording apparatus includes a magnetic disk having a perpendicular double-layer film and a perpendicular magnetic recording head having a leading pole positioned forward along the head traveling direction, a trailing pole positioned backward along the head traveling direction at a gap length from the leading pole and having, in an air-bearing surface, a forward pole and a rearward pole of which saturation magnetic flux density is higher than that of the forward pole, and an exciting coil. A length p of the trailing pole along the head traveling direction is longer than a length T of the trailing pole in a track width direction, the length p is longer than the gap length g1, and a length p1 of the rearward pole is shorter than a length p2 of the forward pole along the head traveling direction.

Abstract: There is disclosed a magnetic disc device wherein temperature increase in the head IC chip can effectively suppressed. The magnetic head device comprises a slider having a magnetic head, a suspension structure having one end supporting the slider, and a head IC chip, the head IC chip being mounted on the suspension structure at a side adapted to be faced to a magnetic recording disc. A flow of air produced by the rotation of the magnetic disc cols the head IC chip in operation.

Abstract: In a tunnel magnetoresistance effect element comprising a tunnel multilayered film having a tunnel barrier layer, a ferromagnetic free layer and a ferromagnetic pinned layer such that the tunnel barrier layer is held between the ferromagnetic free layer and the ferromagnetic pinned layer, three indexes representing a surface roughness state of the tunnel barrier layer are set such that Ra≦1 nm, Rmax≦10 nm and Rrms≦1.2 nm, wherein Ra is one of the three indexes and representing the center line average roughness, Rmax is one of the three indexes and representing the maximum height, and Rrms is one of the three indexes and representing the standard deviation roughness. Thus, the tunnel magnetoresistance effect element exhibits improved characteristics, particularly, a large head output.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring characteristics of a tunnel magnetoresistance effect element having a tunnel multilayered film comprising a tunnel barrier layer and a first and a second ferromagnetic layer formed to sandwich the tunnel barrier layer therebetween. This method comprises the steps of setting an initial current value I0 which does not destroy the element to be measured, measuring, using the current value I0, a first resistance value R1 as an approximate resistance value of the element, defining, based on the first resistance value R1 and a voltage value Vs which is a measurement standard for the element, an inspection current value Is (Is=Vs/R1), and measuring characteristics of the element using the inspection current value Is. Therefore, “without damaging or destroying elements” and “in an effective way”, the characteristics of the element can be measured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a magneto-resistive tunnel junction head comprising a tunnel multilayered film having a tunnel barrier layer, a ferromagnetic free layer and a ferromagnetic pinned layer such that the tunnel barrier layer is held between the ferromagnetic free layer and the ferromagnetic pinned layer. The method comprises a laminating step of forming the tunnel barrier layer and a non-magnetic metal protect layer in turn on the ferromagnetic pinned layer, an insulating layer forming step of forming side insulating layers on both sides of a lamination body having the ferromagnetic pinned layer, the tunnel barrier layer and the non-magnetic metal protect layer, a cleaning step of cleaning the surface of the non-magnetic metal protect layer, and a ferromagnetic free layer forming step of forming the ferromagnetic free layer such that the ferromagnetic free layer faces the ferromagnetic pinned layer via the cleaned surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head with a SVMR element which includes first and second layers of a ferromagnetic material (free and pinned layers) separated by a layer of non-magnetic electrically conductive material, and a layer of anti-ferromagnetic material formed in physical contact with the pinned layer. The method has a first temperature annealing (pin annealing) step of annealing the SVMR element under application of magnetic field to provide exchange coupling between the pinned layer and the anti-ferromagnetic material layer so that the pinned layer is pinned toward a predetermined direction, and a second temperature annealing (free layer annealing) step of annealing the SVMR element so that axis of easy magnetization of the free layer orients a direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction. The free layer annealing is performed at a temperature lower than 150° C.

Abstract: A spin valve type magnetoresistance effect film comprises a multilayered film including a non-magnetic metal layer, a ferromagnetic layer formed on one surface of the non-magnetic metal layer, a soft magnetic layer formed on the other surface of the non-magnetic metal layer, an antiferromagnetic layer which is formed on a surface of the ferromagnetic layer remote from the other surface thereof abutting the non-magnetic metal layer so as to pin a direction of magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer, and an antiferromagnetization promote layer formed on a surface of the antiferromagnetic layer remote from the other surface thereof abutting the ferromagnetic layer, wherein the antiferromagnetic layer is made of a compound containing Mn and having a CuAu-I type regular crystal structure the which requires a heat treatment for generating exchange coupling relative to the ferromagnetic layer, and the antiferromagnetic layer after the heat treatment has a state wherein (110) crystal surfaces are oriented on a film

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording apparatus includes a magnetic disk having a perpendicular double-layer film and a perpendicular magnetic S recording head having a leading pole positioned forward along the head traveling direction, a trailing pole positioned backward along the head traveling direction at a gap length from the leading pole and having, in an air-bearing surface, a forward pole and a rearward pole of which saturation magnetic flux density is higher than that of the forward pole, and an exciting coil. A length p of the trailing pole along the head traveling direction is longer than a length T of the trailing pole in a track width direction, the length p is longer than the gap length g1, and a length p1 of the rearward pole is shorter than a length p2 of the forward pole along the head traveling direction.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording apparatus includes a perpendicular double-layer film medium including a stack of a soft magnetic backing layer and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer in which recording is performed under a condition that a recording track pitch as a total of a recording track width and a guard-band width between recording tracks is set to be 1 &mgr;m or less, and a perpendicular magnetic recording head including a recording main pole, an auxiliary pole disposed at a gap having a length of five or less times the guard-band width with respect to the recording main pole, and an exciting coil.

Abstract: There is disclosed a magnetic head device in which a head IC chip may be located relatively closer to a magnetic head and a thermal effect may be controlled to be within a range of acceptable degree. Said magnetic head device comprises a head slider having a magnetic head, a suspension member which is made of thin resilient material and supports the head slider at one end thereof, and a head IC chip, wherein the suspension member is attached to other member at the other end thereof. The IC chip is mounted on the suspension member. When the IC chip is selected to have appropriate disc side area and is mounted on the suspension member, the temperature of the IC chip itself may be maintained within a range of acceptable degree and that of the magnetic head may be also kept to be lower. When the electric power consumption of the IC chip is equal to or less than 410 mW, the disc side area thereof should be equal to or more than 1.1 mm2.

Abstract: In a tunnel magnetoresistance effect element comprising a tunnel multilayered film on an under layer, the tunnel multilayered film has a tunnel barrier layer, a ferromagnetic free layer and a ferromagnetic pinned layer such that the tunnel barrier layer is held between the ferromagnetic free layer and the ferromagnetic pinned layer, wherein three indexes representing a surface roughness state of a surface, which faces the tunnel multilayered film, of the under layer are set such that Ra ≦0.5 nm, Rmax ≦5 nm and Rrms ≦0.55 nm, wherein Ra is one of the three indexes and represents the center line average roughness, Rmax is one of the three indexes and represents the maximum height, and Rrms is one of the three indexes and represents the standard deviation roughness. Thus, the tunnel magnetoresistance effect element exhibits improved characteristics, particularly, a large head output.

Abstract: A magnetic disk unit includes slider suspension assemblies, each of the assemblies having a slider with at least one magnetic head element and a suspension with one end portion and one surface, the slider being mounted on the one surface of the suspension at the one end portion, magnetic disks, each of the disks having at least one surface which opposes to the slider of the assembly, head IC chips electrically connected to the magnetic head elements, and a control circuit electrically connected with the head IC chips. The control circuit controls operations of each of the magnetic head elements so that the write current is applied to the magnetic head element for a first predetermined period of time and then the application of the write current to the magnetic head element is stopped for a second predetermined period of time which is equal to or longer than the first predetermined period.