Abstract: A giant magneto-resistive effect device having a CPP structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetization layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with the spacer layer interposed between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer formed between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type oxide semiconductor. When the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers are formed in order, the first nonmagnetic metal layer is formed prior to the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and an anti-oxidizing layer is formed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The anti-oxidizing layer is formed of a material incapable of producing a Schottky barrier upon joining to the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a CPP-GMR device comprising a spacer layer. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer interposed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and further comprises a work function control layer formed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer and/or between the second nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type semiconductor, and the work function control layer is made of a material having a work function smaller than that of said first nonmagnetic metal layer, and said second nonmagnetic metal layer. It is thus possible to obtain by far more improved advantages.

Abstract: A developing device includes a first developer containing chamber, a second developer containing chamber, a first inflow section, a second inflow section, a first conveyance member and a second conveyance member. The first inflow section allows the developer to flow from the second developer containing chamber into the first developer containing chamber. The second inflow section allows the developer to flow from the first developer containing chamber into the second developer containing chamber. The first conveyance member conveys the developer contained in the first developer containing chamber in a first developer conveyance direction. The second conveyance member conveys the developer contained in the second developer containing chamber in a second developer conveyance direction.

Abstract: An MR element incorporates a layered structure. The layered structure includes: a spacer layer having a first surface and a second surface that face toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to the first surface of the spacer layer and having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to a signal magnetic field; and a pinned layer disposed adjacent to the second surface of the spacer layer and having a fixed direction of magnetization. The spacer layer is a layer at least part of which is made of a material other than a conductor, and the spacer layer intercepts the passage of currents or limits the passage of currents as compared with a layer entirely made of a conductor. The MR element further incorporates a conductive film that is disposed on the peripheral surface of the layered structure and allows conduction between the free layer and the pinned layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a thin-film magnetic head wherein the combined release angle ? for a dominant recording magnetic field generated from a magnetic pole layer toward a patterned media for the purpose of recording magnetic information is set to within an angle range of 35° to 65° with respect to a patterned media surface. It is thus possible to invert, with efficiency and reliability, the directions of magnetization of isolate bits lined up on the patterned media for high-density recording.

Abstract: Provided is a thin-film magnetic head in which a noise due to the voltage potential difference between the read head element and the protective coat surface is suppressed. The thin-film magnetic head comprises: a read head element, one end surface of the read head element reaching an head end surface on the ABS side; a protective coat formed on the head end surface in such a way to cover at least the one end surface of the read head element; and at least one antistatic means for preventing the protective coat from being electrostatically charged, formed on/above the element formation surface, one end surface of the at least one antistatic means reaching the head end surface, the protective coat covering a portion, not the whole, of the one end surface of the at least one antistatic means on the head end surface.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic write head includes: a magnetic pole having an end face on an air bearing surface; and side shield layers each having an end face on the air bearing surface, and arranged on both sides, in a write track width direction, of the magnetic pole with a side gap in between. The end face of the magnetic pole has a geometry in which a width at a trailing edge is larger than a width at a leading edge. Relationship D1<D2, D1<D3, and D3?D2 are satisfied in the air bearing surface, where D1 is a gap length of the side gap at the trailing edge, D2 is a gap length of the side gap at the leading edge, and D3 is a gap length of the side gap at any position between the trailing edge and the leading edge.

Abstract: Provided is a thin film magnetic head capable of suppressing an occurrence of a track erase, decreasing an influence on a magnetoresistive element caused by a magnetic flux generated from a thin film coil, and further decreasing the parasitic capacity. The thin film magnetic head has, in order in a stacked direction, a first magnetic shield layer, a magnetoresistive element, a second magnetic shield layer, a third magnetic shield layer, a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer. A width in a track width direction of at least one of the first and the second magnetic shield layers is smaller than widths in a track width direction of the third magnetic shield layer and the return yoke layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes a first and a second shield, and an MR stack disposed between the shields. The MR stack includes a first and a second ferromagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between the ferromagnetic layers. The first and second ferromagnetic layers have magnetizations that are in directions antiparallel to each other when no external magnetic field is applied to the layers, and that change directions in response to an external magnetic field. An insulating layer is formed to touch a rear end face of the MR stack and the first shield, and a bias magnetic field applying layer is formed above the insulating layer with a buffer layer disposed in between. The bias magnetic field applying layer includes a hard magnetic layer and a high saturation magnetization layer. The high saturation magnetization layer is located between the rear end face and the hard magnetic layer, but not located between the first shield and the hard magnetic layer.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer carrier; a first housing chamber; a second housing chamber; a first inflow portion; a first conveying member; a second conveying member; and a concentration detecting member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a first developer containing chamber, a second developer containing chamber, a first inflow section, a second inflow section, a first conveyance member and a second conveyance member. The first inflow section allows the developer to flow from the second developer containing chamber into the first developer containing chamber. The second inflow section allows the developer to flow from the first developer containing chamber into the second developer containing chamber. The first conveyance member conveys the developer contained in the first developer containing chamber in a first developer conveyance direction. The second conveyance member conveys the developer contained in the second developer containing chamber in a second developer conveyance direction.

Abstract: An MR element incorporates a nonmagnetic conductive layer, and a pinned layer and a free layer that are disposed to sandwich the nonmagnetic conductive layer. Each of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer. The Heusler alloy layer contains a Heusler alloy in which atoms of a magnetic metallic element are placed at body-centered positions of unit cells, and an additive element that is a nonmagnetic metallic element that does not constitute the Heusler alloy. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a region in which the concentration of the additive element increases as the distance from the nonmagnetic conductive layer decreases, the region being adjacent to the nonmagnetic conductive layer.

Abstract: A storage container includes a container body that stores a supplementary material and is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus; a discharge port that is provided at a bottom of the container body; two protrusions that protrude from the container body toward both sides; and an opening-closing member that is movably supported by a guide frame surrounding the discharge port, wherein a rearward movement of the opening-closing member is restricted by stoppers while the container body is mounted on the mounting unit, the protrusions come in contact with the stoppers and push the stoppers laterally to release the restriction of the opening-closing member while the container body is pulled out of the image forming apparatus, and a width, in an attaching/detaching direction of the container body, of one protrusion of the protrusions is smaller than that of the other protrusion.

Abstract: An MR element includes: a free layer having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to a signal magnetic field; a pinned layer having a fixed direction of magnetization; and a spacer layer disposed between these layers. The spacer layer includes a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer that is made of a material containing an oxide semiconductor and that is disposed between the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers. The MR element has a resistance-area product within a range of 0.1 to 0.3?·?m2, and the spacer layer has a conductivity within a range of 133 to 432 S/cm.

Abstract: The invention is devised to provide a magnetoresistive element that is hardly susceptible to harmful influence of unnecessary magnetic fields and noise of heat even when reduction in size is achieved to be adaptable to higher recording density, and therefore that is excellent in operational reliability. The magnetoresistive element includes a stacked structure including, in order: a magnetically pinned layer whose magnetization direction is fixed in a given direction; a non-magnetic layer; a magnetically free layer whose magnetization direction changes according to an external magnetic field; and an antiferromagnetic bias layer exchange-coupled with the magnetically free layer. The exchange-coupling magnetic field between the magnetically free layer and the antiferromagnetic bias layer is smaller than a saturation magnetic field of the magnetically free layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element (MR element) for use in a thin-film magnetic head has a buffer layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a free layer, and a cap layer that are successively stacked. A sense current flows in a direction perpendicular to layer surfaces via a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer. The pinned layer comprises an outer layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and an inner layer in the form of a ferromagnetic layer. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer, a semiconductor layer made of ZnO, and a second nonmagnetic metal layer. The inner layer or the outer layer includes a diffusion blocking layer made of an oxide of an element whose electronegativity is equal to or smaller than Zn, e.g., ZnO, TaO, ZrO, MgO, TiO, or HfO, or made of RuO.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element used for a thin film magnetic head is configured by a buffer layer, an anti-ferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a free layer, and a cap layer, which are laminated in this order, and a sense current flows through the element in a direction orthogonal to the layer surface, via a lower shield layer and a upper shield layer. The pinned layer comprises an outer layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and an inner layer which is a ferromagnetic layer. The spacer layer comprises a first and second non-magnetic metal layer, and a semiconductor layer. The first and second non-magnetic metal layer and comprise CuPt films having a thickness of more than 0 nm but no more than 2.0 nm, and the Pt content ranges from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 25 at %.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a free layer having a magnetization direction variable depending on an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between the pinned layer and the free layer. The free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer and a magnetostriction reduction layer made of a 4th group element, a 5th group element, or a 6th group element.

Abstract: Foundation layers of a thin film magnetic head are disposed between insulating layers and bias magnetic field application layers, and are configured of Cr or Cr alloy. The insulating layers are configured of a Si oxide such that the Si content of the Si oxide is in the range of 30˜56 at % (atom %) and that the atom ratio of oxygen to Si (O/Si) is in the range of 0.8˜1.3. With the configuration, the occurrence rate of noise is reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by mass of a solid diene-based rubber (1), 5 to 150 parts by mass of silica (2), 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of a liquid diene-based rubber (3) which is modified with an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof and has a number average molecular weight of 5000 to 100000, and further 0,1 to 50 parts by mass of an unmodified liquid diene-based rubber (4) having a number average molecular weight of 5000 to 100000 with respect to 100 parts by mass of the solid diene-based rubber (1) and/or 1.5 to 14.0 parts by mass of water (5) with respect to 100 parts by mass of silica (2), and a crosslinked product obtained by crosslinking the rubber composition. A rubber composition obtained by the present invention is improved in processability when silica is added and mixed with a diene-based rubber and is excellent in dynamic properties after crosslinking.