Abstract: A spin valve magnetoresistance sensor of a thin film magnetic head. In one embodiment, a spin valve magnetoresistance sensor is provided with a spin valve film, in which a base layer including a first base film of Ta or some other nonmagnetic metal and, on top of this, a second base film of an alloy represented by NiFeX (where X is at least one element selected from among Cr, Nb, Rh) is formed on a substrate, and on top of this are formed by layering a free magnetic layer and pinned magnetic layer arranged to enclose a nonmagnetic conductive layer, as well as an antiferromagnetic layer, the second base film has an fcc (face-centered cubic) structure and also has a (111) orientation.

Abstract: A spin-valve magnetic transducing element. In one embodiment, a spin-valve magnetic transducing element is disclosed in which a ferromagnetic tunneling junction film, including first and second ferromagnetic layers and an insulating layer is enclosed between the ferromagnetic layers. A nonmagnetic metal thin film is inserted between the second ferromagnetic layer and the insulating layer, all of which are formed on a substrate.

Abstract: A synthetic-type spin-valve MR sensor having a pinned magnetic layer with a multi-layer film structure. In one embodiment, on a substrate are formed by layering a free magnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer including first and second ferromagnetic films, which are mutually coupled antiferromagnetically and which enclose a nonmagnetic coupling film. A nonmagnetic conductive layer is enclosed between these two magnetic layers. An antiferromagnetic layer neighbors the pinned magnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic film neighboring the antiferromagnetic layer is formed from a high-resistivity Co-base material. By making the products of the saturation magnetization and the film thickness of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer substantially equal, the apparent magnetic moment of the pinned magnetic layer as a whole is zero, and the magnetostatic action on the free magnetic layer is eliminated or reduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spin-valve magnetic resistance sensor in which an underlayer, which has a second underlayer film with an fcc structure consisting of an alloy formed by combining one or more elements selected from a set consisting of elements of group VIIIa and group Ib of the periodic table, and one or more elements selected from a set consisting of elements of groups IIa, IVa, Va, VIa, IIb, Ib and IVb of the periodic table, such as NiFeCrTi or NiCrTi, etc., is formed on the substrate, and a magnetic resistance (MR) film which has an antiferromagnetic layer consisting of a Pt1−xMnx alloy or an Ir1−xMnx alloy is laminated on top of this underlayer. The composition ratio of the element with the smallest free energy of oxide formation among the elements contained in the alloy of the second underlayer film is in the range of 0.1 atomic % to 15 atomic %.