Abstract: A magnetoresistive read head includes a spin valve having at least one free layer spaced apart from at least one pinned layer by a spacer. The free layer includes a cobalt compound as a thin film including at least one of Co—X, CoFe—X and CoNi—X, where X is an element from the lanthanoid family (a 4-f element). The content of Co is higher than 80 percent, and the content of the lanthanoid element is less than 10 percent. The film may comprise the entire free layer, or be positioned adjacent to one or more conventional free layer films. The pinned layer is a conventional single layer, or a synthetic multi-layered structure having a spacer between sub-layers. Because the spin valve structure has a high exchange stiffness and damping factor, spin transfer effect is reduced and a high-speed dynamic response is provided.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element is provided as a spin valve having a synthetic free layer. More specifically, the synthetic free layer includes a low perpendicular anisotropy layer that is separated from a high perpendicular anisotropy layer by a spacer. Thus, the high anisotropy material introduces an out-of-plane component by exchange coupling. The high perpendicular anisotropy material also has low spin polarization. Further, the low anisotropy material positioned closer to the pinned layer has a high spin polarization. As a result, the magnetization of the low anisotropy material is re-oriented from an in-plane direction to an out-of-plane direction. Accordingly, the overall free layer perpendicular anisotropy can be made small as a result of the low anisotropy material and the high anisotropy material. Adjusting the thickness of these layers, as well as the spacer therebetween, can further lower the anisotropy and thus further increase the sensitivity.

Abstract: An in-stack bias is provided for stabilizing the free layer of a magneto-resistive sensor. More specifically, a stabilizer layer provided above a free layer has a tilted magnetization. As a result of this tilt, the interlayer coupling between the free layer and the pinned layer is reduced, and the related art hysteresis and asymmetry problems are substantially overcome. Additionally, a method of tilting the stabilizer layer of the in-stack bias is also provided, including a method of annealing using annealing temperature differentials and magnetic field directions.

Abstract: A heat assisted magnetic recording head is provided, which can prevent an effect of a heat in a laser diode when a magnetic recording region is heated by a heating laser beam and which can reduce its size and weight. In the heat assisted magnetic recording head, a recording magnetic pole, a magnetic recording element, a magnetic read element, an optical waveguide, and an irradiating optical waveguide are attached to a floating slider provided below a suspension. The laser diode is arranged on an opposite side of the suspension to the floating slider. The heating laser beam emitted from the laser diode is directed to the irradiating optical waveguide through the optical waveguide, so that a magnetic recording medium is irradiated with the heating laser beam exiting from the irradiating optical waveguide.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element is composed of a substrate, and a layer lamination structure disposed on the substrate and comprising a buffer layer, an anti-ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, an insulating layer including at least one nano-contact portion having a dimension of not more than Fermi length, a free layer composed of a ferromagnetic layer and a domain stability layer, which are laminated in the described order on the substrate. The pinned layer is composed of a first ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer disposed in this order on the side of the anti-ferromagnetic layer, and the domain stability control including a non-magnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer and an anti-ferromagnetic layer disposed in this order from the side of the free layer.

Abstract: A method of generating a thin film for use in a spin valve of a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor having a nano-constricted spacer is provided. The bottom portion of the spin valve is deposited up to the pinned layer, a deposition chamber is provided, and the spacer layer is sputtered thereon. A main ion beam generates ions onto a composite surface including magnetic chips and insulator material. Simultaneously, an assisted ion beam provides ions directly to the substrate, thus improving the softness of the free layer and smoothness of the spacer layer. Neutralizers are also provided to prevent ion repulsion and improve ion beam focus. As a result, a thin film spacer can be formed, and the nano-constricted MR spin valve having low free layer coercivity and low interlayer coupling between the free layer and pinned layer is formed.

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 reader of a magnetoresistive head includes a granular type free layer. The magnetoresistive head is for a current-perpendicular to plane type, and can be used in either a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) or ballistic magnetoresistance (BMR) scheme. The granular type free layer includes an insulating matrix, for example but not by way of limitation, Al2O3, and metal magnetic grains, for example but not by way of limitation, Ni, CoFe or NiFe. The metal grain size is about 10 to 30 nm, and the effect of having these grains interspersed in the insulative matrix is to provide a softer granular type free layer having a low magnetization. Accordingly, the granular type free layer of the present invention can be made thicker, on the order of about 5 to 10 nm, thus further improving overall thermal stability, reducing spin transfer effect and improving output read signal.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes a free layer as a first ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer as a second ferromagnetic layer, and at least one nano-junction provided between the free layer and the pinned layer. The nano-junction contains at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and chlorine. Preferably, the material for forming the nano-junction is a ferromagnetic metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, NiFe, CoFe and CoFeNi or a halfmetal selected from the group consisting of NiFeSb, NiMnSb, PtMnSb and MnSb.

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: A magnetoresistive head including a magnetoresistive element, and two shield layers sandwiching the magnetoresistive element. The magnetoresistive element includes an antiferromagnetic layer a pinned layer in exchange coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer, a free layer whose magnetization rotates or switches according to a media magnetic field, and an intermediate layer between the free layer and the pinned layer. The intermediate layer includes magnetic grains surrounded by an insulator. The magnetic grains connect the free layer and the pinned layer by means of a nano contact. The free layer is oversized with respect to the pinned layer and the intermediate layer which are distanced from a media side end of the shield layers.

Abstract: In a thin film magnetic head device including a reading giant magneto-resistive thin film magnetic head element whose electric equivalent circuit is expressed by a series circuit of an equivalent voltage source and a series resistor RH and a parallel capacitor C connected in parallel with said series circuit, inductor L is connected in series with said series resistor RH and a parallel resistor R is connected in series with said parallel capacitor C. The coil L and parallel capacitor C are set such that an angular frequency ?0=1/(LC)1/2, an angular frequency ?1=1/CR and an angular frequency ?H=1/CRH satisfy conditions of ?0>?1 and ?0>?H, preferably ?0>>?1 and ?0>>?H to extend a frequency characteristic toward a high frequency range.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element is manufactured in the steps in which a first ferromagnetic layer is formed on a substrate, the first ferromagnetic layer is patterned to form a pinned layer, in shape of strip, having both end portions to which electrode pads are formed, the pinned layer is etched, for example, through ion milling, so as to form at least one nano-contact portion, an insulating layer is formed by embedding an insulating material into the etched pinned layer around the nano-contact portion, a second ferromagnetic layer is formed so as to contact at least the nano-contact portion, and this second ferromagnetic layer is patterned to form a free layer, in shape of strip, having both end portions to which electrode pads are formed.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element is composed of a substrate, and a layer lamination structure disposed on the substrate and comprising a buffer layer, an anti-ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, an insulating layer including at least one nano-contact portion having a dimension of not more than Fermi length, a free layer composed of a ferromagnetic layer and a domain stability layer, which are laminated in the described order on the substrate. The pinned layer is composed of a first ferromagnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer disposed in this order on the side of the anti-ferromagnetic layer, and the domain stability control including a non-magnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer and an anti-ferromagnetic layer disposed in this order from the side of the free layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element has a lamination structure comprising a free layer including two ferromagnetic layers, a pinned layer including two ferromagnetic layers, and at least one nano-contact portion composed of a single ferromagnetic layer and disposed at least one portion between the free layer and the pinned layer. A distance between the free layer and the pinned layer, i.e., thickness of the nano-contact portion in the lamination direction, is not more than Fermi length, preferably less than 100 nm.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element is composed of a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and at least one nano-contact portion formed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, which are formed on the same plane on a substrate. The nano-contact portion has a maximum dimension of not more than Fermi length of a material constituting the nano-contact portion. A permanent magnet layer or in-stack bias layer may be further formed on the first and/or second ferromagnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element comprises a free layer composed of a ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer composed of a ferromagnetic layer, and a layer disposed between the free layer and the pinned layer and including at least one nano-contact portion disposed at least one portion between the free layer and the pinned layer. The nano-contact portion has a dimension, including at least one of a length in the layer lamination direction and a length in a direction normal to the layer lamination direction, being not more than Fermi length. The nano-contact portion is provided, in an inside portion thereof, with a magnetic wall composed of either one of Bloch magnetic wall, Nëel magnetic wall or a combination wall thereof.

Abstract: This invention obtains an image forming apparatus and image forming method capable of achieving a simple, low-cost arrangement by controlling memory write-in/read-out similarly to image signal generation using a single beam even when an image is formed using a plurality of light beams. Write-in of a first light beam image signal in a memory A starts before a first light beam image signal for previous scanning is completely read out from the memory A. Write-in of a second light beam image signal in a memory B starts after a second light beam image signal for previous scanning is completely read out from the memory B.

Abstract: The invention provides an arc tube with improved chromaticity and start-up characteristics that does not contain mercury, and provides a vehicle headlamp equipped with a metal halide lamp that contains no mercury in the arc tube. Among other improvements, the evaporation of low melting point metal halides is promoted and the start-up characteristics of the arc tube are improved.