Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes operable to pass a current through the laminated body. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. A lamination direction of the laminated body is substantially parallel to a medium moving direction. In a first direction parallel to an air bearing surface and perpendicular to the lamination direction, the laminated body has a protruding portion that protrudes beyond an end of a surface of the main magnetic pole facing the laminated body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive element having a magnetization pinned layer, a magnetization free layer, and a spacer layer including an insulating layer provided between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetization free layer and current paths penetrating into the insulating layer. A process of forming the spacer layer in the method includes depositing a first metal layer forming the metal paths, depositing a second metal layer on the first metal layer, performing a pretreatment of irradiating the second metal layer with an ion beam or a RF plasma of a rare gas, and converting the second metal layer into the insulating layer by means of supplying an oxidation gas or a nitriding gas.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole; a laminated body; and a pair of electrodes. The laminated body includes a first magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, a second magnetic layer having a coercivity lower than the magnetic field applied by the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The pair of electrodes are operable to pass a current through the laminated body.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive effect element includes a magnetization pinned layer, a magnetization free layer; a nonmagnetic metal layer disposed between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetization free layer, a resistance increasing layer, a spin filter layer, and a pair of electrodes. The resistance increasing layer includes a insulation portion and is disposed in at least one of the magnetization pinned layer, the magnetization free layer, and the nonmagnetic metal layer. The spin filter layer is disposed to be adjacent to the magnetization free layer and has a thickness in a range of 5 nm to 20 nm. The magnetization free layer is disposed between the spin filter layer and the nonmagnetic metal layer. The magnetization pinned layer, the magnetization free layer, the nonmagnetic layer, the resistance increasing layer, and the spin filter layer are disposed between the electrodes.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer having a magnetic material film whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer having a magnetic material film whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic metal intermediate layer located between said pinned layer and said free layer. The element also includes a pair of electrodes electrically connected to the magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer may include a thin-film insertion layer.

Abstract: There is provided a practical magnetoresistance effect element which has an appropriate value of resistance, which can be sensitized and which has a small number of magnetic layers to be controlled, and a magnetic head and magnetic recording and/or reproducing system using the same. In a magnetoresistance effect element wherein a sense current is caused to flow in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the film, a resistance regulating layer is provided in at least one of a pinned layer, a free layer and an non-magnetic intermediate layer. The resistance regulating layer contains, as a principal component, an oxide, a nitride, a fluoride, a carbide or a boride. The resistance regulating layer may be a continuous film or may have pin holes. Thus, it is possible to provide a practical magnetoresistance effect element which has an appropriate value of resistance, which can be sensitized and which has a small number of magnetic layers, while effectively utilizing the scattering effect depending on spin.

Abstract: There are provided a magnetoresistance effect element, a magnetic head, a magnetic head assembly and a magnetic recording system, which have high sensitivity and high reliability. The magnetoresistance effect element has two ferromagnetic layers, a non-magnetic layer provided between the ferromagnetic layers, and a layer containing an oxide or nitride as a principal component, wherein the layer containing the oxide or nitride as the principal component contains a magnetic transition metal element which does not bond to oxygen and nitrogen and which is at least one of Co, Fe and Ni.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element has a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer separate from each other, the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer each having a magnetization whose direction is substantially pinned, and a non-magnetic conductive layer formed in contact with the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and electrically connecting the first and second magnetic layers, the non-magnetic conductive layer forming a path of spin-polarized electrons from one of the magnetic layer to the other magnetic layer, the non-magnetic conductive layer comprising a portion located between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the portion being a sensing area.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a recording magnetic pole, and a spin oscillation device including a first magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, a second magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are antiferromagnetically coupled and/or magnetostatically coupled to each other. The first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are laminated in a direction generally parallel to a medium facing surface and generally parallel to a side surface of the recording magnetic pole intersecting with the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A spin valve type magnetoresistive effect element for vertical electric conduction includes a magnetoresistive effect film in which a resistance adjustment layer made of a material containing conductive carriers not more than 1022/cm3 is inserted. Thus the resistance value of a portion in change of spin-relied conduction is raised to an adequate valve, thereby to increase the resistance variable amount.

Abstract: A magnetic device includes a first magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, a second magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material with a fixed magnetization direction, and a pair of electrodes. The pair of electrodes are operable to pass a current through a laminated body including the first and second magnetic layers, the nonmagnetic layer, and the third magnetic layer.

Abstract: In a spin valve type element, an interface insertion layer (32, 34) of a material exhibiting large spin-dependent interface scattering is inserted in a location of a magnetically pinned layer (16) or a magnetically free layer (20) closer to a nonmagnetic intermediate layer (18). A nonmagnetic back layer (36) may be additionally inserted as an interface not in contact with the nonmagnetic intermediate layer to increase the output by making use of spin-dependent interface scattering along the interface between the pinned layer and the nonmagnetic back layer or between the free layer and the nonmagnetic back layer.

Abstract: A current perpendicular to plane magneto-resistance effect element includes: a magneto-resistance effect film comprised of a fixed magnetization layer, a free magnetization layer, and a complex spacer layer including an insulating layer and current paths formed through the insulating layer; a biasing mechanism for stabilizing the free magnetization layer; a shielding mechanism for ensuring a reproducing resolution of the magneto-resistance effect element; and a pair of electrodes for flowing a current perpendicular to a film surface of the magneto-resistance effect element; wherein a resistance area product (RA:?×?m2) is set to 0.00062×?{square root over ((GAP))}×TW+0.06 when a track width of the magneto-resistance effect element is defined as TW (nm) and a gap length of the magneto-resistance effect element is defined as GAP (nm).

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element, including: a first magnetization layer of which a magnetization is substantially fixed in one direction; a second magnetization layer of which a magnetization is rotated in accordance with an external magnetic field; an intermediate layer which contains insulating portions and magnetic metallic portions and which is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; and a pair of electrodes to flow current in a direction perpendicular to a film surface of a multilayered film made of the first magnetic layer, the intermediate layer and the second magnetic layer; wherein the magnetic metallic portions of the intermediate layer contain non-ferromagnetic metal.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element includes a magneto-resistance effect film comprised of a free magnetization layer, a fixed magnetization layer and an intermediate layer disposed between the free magnetization layer and the fixed magnetization layer; a magnetic coupling layer which is disposed on one main surface of the fixed magnetization layer; a ferromagnetic layer which is disposed on one main surface of the magnetic coupling layer; an antiferromagnetic layer which is disposed on one main surface of the ferromagnetic layer; a magnetic domain controlling film for applying a biasing magnetic field to the free magnetization layer; and a pair of electrodes for flowing a current in the magneto-resistance effect film; wherein an asymmetry is set positive and an element resistance RA is set to 1.5 ??m2 or less in the direction from the free magnetization layer to the fixed magnetization layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes a magnetoresistive film having a magnetization pinned layer whose magnetization is substantially pinned to one direction, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a magnetization free layer whose magnetization is changed in direction depending on an external magnetic field, in which the magnetization pinned layer or nonmagnetic intermediate layer includes an insulator, and a pair of electrodes electrically connected to the magnetoresistive film so as to supply a sense current in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the magnetoresistive film. The magnetization free layer includes a body-centered cubic layer with a body-centered cubic structure, and the thickness of the body-centered cubic layer is 2 nm or more.

Abstract: A high-frequency oscillator includes a high-frequency oscillation element having a magnetization pinned layer whose magnetization direction is pinned substantially in one direction, an oscillation layer formed of a magnetic material which generates a high-frequency oscillation phenomenon when a current is supplied, an intermediate layer provided between the magnetization pinned layer and the oscillation layer, the intermediate layer having an insulation layer and current paths which pass through the insulation layer in a thickness direction, and a pair of electrodes which supply a current perpendicularly to a plane of a stacked film including the magnetization pinned layer, the intermediate layer and the oscillation layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element comprises a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer; and a pair of electrodes electrically connected to said magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of said magnetoresistance effect film, The intermediate layer has a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low. The sense current preferentially flows through the second regions when the current passes the first layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect (MR) device incorporating a spin valve film, and a magnetic head, a magnetic head assembly and a magnetic recording/reproducing system incorporating the MR device, wherein the magnetization direction of a free layer is at a certain angle to the magnetization direction of a second ferromagnetic layer therein when the applied magnetic field is zero. A pinned magnetic layer includes a pair of ferromagnetic films antiferromagnetically coupled to each other via a coupling film existing therebetween. The magnetization direction of either one of the pair of ferromagnetic films constituting the pinned magnetic layer is maintained, and a nonmagnetic high-conductivity layer is disposed adjacent to a first ferromagnetic layer on the side opposite to the side on which the first ferromagnetic layer is contacted with a nonmagnetic spacer layer. With that constitution, the device has extremely high sensitivity, and the bias point in the device is well controlled.

Abstract: A polyester resin for toner which is obtained through polymerization in the presence of a release agent ingredient with a melting point of 60–100° C. or a release agent ingredient comprising an alcohol component, and which has a softening temperature of 100–160° C., an acid value of 0.1–30 mgKOH/g and a glass transition temperature of 40–70° C.; a process for producing a polyester resin for toner which comprises conducting polymerization in the presence of a release agent ingredient with a melting point of 60–100° C. or a release agent ingredient comprising an alcohol component; and toner comprising the polyester resin. Toners with excellent non-offset properties and glosses are obtained.