Abstract: A piezoelectric gas jet generator includes a piezoelectric vibrator and upper and lower volume-varying chambers formed above and below the piezoelectric vibrator. In order to effectively use the movement of air supplied with the vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator, plural upper supply pipes and lower supply pipes communicating with the upper and lower volume-varying chambers and protruding from an upper housing and a lower housing are made to protrude in a direction parallel to the plane of the piezoelectric vibrator so as to be parallel to each other. Here, the upper supply pipes and the lower supply pipes are located at different planar positions.

Abstract: A piezoelectric gas jet generator includes a piezoelectric vibrator and upper and lower volume-varying chambers formed above and below the piezoelectric vibrator. In order to effectively use the movement of air supplied with the vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator, plural upper supply pipes and lower supply pipes communicating with the upper and lower volume-varying chambers and protruding from an upper housing and a lower housing are made to protrude in a direction parallel to the plane of the piezoelectric vibrator so as to be parallel to each other. Here, the upper supply pipes and the lower supply pipes are located at different planar positions.

Abstract: A monitor element includes electrode layers each having a front end region and a back end region extended from the front end region in the track width direction. Therefore, the width dimension of the front end region in the ABS can be set to a smaller value than conventional elements, and the height controlling process can be performed while appropriately measuring the DC resistance value of the monitor element. A magnetoresistive element also includes electrode layers having the same shape, thereby suppressing the occurrence of smearing in a thin film magnetic head, and permitting manufacture with high yield.

Abstract: Height setting processing performed while measuring DC resistance of a monitor element formed on a substrate causes smearing (sag) in shielding layers formed above and below the monitor element with gap layers held therebetween, causing a short circuit between the monitor element and the shielding layers due to smearing. A recessed portion is formed in a lower shielding layer formed on the substrate, and an insulating layer is formed in the recessed portion. The monitor element is formed on the insulating layer with a lower gap layer formed therebetween. The formation of the insulating layer increases the distance between the monitor element and the lower shielding layer, thereby preventing electrical connection even when smearing occurs in the lower shielding layer. Alternatively, the monitor element is formed on the substrate with the lower gap layer formed therebetween, and the lower shielding layer formed below magnetoresistive elements is not formed below the monitor element.

Abstract: A crown forming method of forming a crown on a floating type magnetic head which includes the steps of placing an approximately rectangular-prism-shaped bar, which has magnetic head elements of not less than 1 formed on a side wall thereof in a row, on the convex surface of a jig whose radius of curvature is R1 through an elastic sheet while facing the surface to be processed of the bar to a lapping surface plate having a concave processing surface whose radius of curvature is R2 with the relationship between the radius of curvatures set to R1≧R2, deforming the bar to an arc shape along the longitudinal direction thereof and bonding it on the convex surface together with the elastic sheet, and lapping the surface to be processed by abutting it against the processing surface and moving the surface to be processed relative to the processing surface.

Abstract: Employed is a crown forming method of forming a crown on a floating type magnetic head which includes the steps of placing an approximately rectangular-prism-shaped bar, which has magnetic head elements of not less than 1 formed on a side wall thereof in a row, on the convex surface of a jig whose radius of curvature is R.sub.1 through an elastic sheet while facing the upper surface (surface to be processed) of the bar to a lapping surface plate having a concave processing surface whose radius of curvature is R.sub.2 with the relationship between the radius of curvatures set to R.sub.1 .gtoreq.R.sub.2, deforming the bar to an arc shape along the longitudinal direction thereof and bonding it on the convex surface together with the elastic sheet, and lapping the upper surface (surface to be processed) by abutting it against the processing surface and moving the upper surface (surface to be processed) relative to a processing surface.