Abstract: A main magnetic pole layer is formed on an insulating layer flattened into a high-flatness surface, and a yoke layer having a large film thickness is formed on the main magnetic pole layer independently of the main magnetic pole. The main magnetic pole layer has a front end surface formed in a shape with a width size gradually increasing in a direction of track width as the front end surface departs farther away from an auxiliary magnetic pole layer. A perpendicular magnetic recording head can be provided which can suppress the occurrence of fringing in a recording pattern, and can form the main magnetic pole layer with high pattern accuracy, and can satisfactorily introduce a recording magnetic field to a fore end of the main magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes: an auxiliary pole layer; a main pole layer; a coil layer for providing a recording magnetic field to the auxiliary pole layer and the main pole layer; a nonmagnetic layer; and a connection layer magnetically coupled to the main pole layer. The nonmagnetic layer is formed on the main pole layer to maintain the main pole layer at a predetermined height during manufacture, allowing independent control of the track width Tw and the height of the main pole layer. A method for manufacturing the perpendicular magnetic recording head is also provided.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes an auxiliary magnetic pole layer exposed at a surface facing a recording medium, a main magnetic pole layer deposited on the auxiliary magnetic pole layer with an insulating layer therebetween, a coil layer for applying a recording magnetic field to the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and the main magnetic pole layer, and a connecting layer placed on the auxiliary magnetic pole layer toward the back from the surface facing the recording medium. At the surface facing the recording medium, the upper base of the main magnetic pole layer is wider than the lower base so that the width in the track width direction of the main magnetic pole layer gradually increases with distance from the auxiliary magnetic pole layer. A method for making such a perpendicular magnetic recording head is also disclosed.

Abstract: The side edge of the main magnetic pole layer is prevented from protruding in the track width direction even when a skew angle is generated by forming the main magnetic pole layer of the opposing face opposing the recording medium as an inverted trapezoid, thereby enabling the occurrence of side fringing to be prevented.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a lower core layer, a gap layer formed on the lower core layer with a lower pole layer therebetween, an upper pole layer formed on the gap layer, an upper core layer formed on the upper pole layer, and a Gd-defining layer for defining the depth in the height direction of the joint surface between the gap layer and the upper pole layer. The width in the track width direction of the gap layer is smaller than or equal to the width in the track width direction of the upper pole layer when viewed from the surface facing the recording medium. By employing such a thin-film magnetic head, the width in the track width direction of the gap layer can be decreased, and thus track narrowing is achieved.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head has a magnetic lower core layer and a magnetic upper core layer formed on the lower core layer with a nonmagnetic gap layer provided therebetween, and the lower core layer and the upper core layer are opposed on an opposing surface which faces a recording medium. The upper core layer includes a leading region extending from the opposing surface towards the rear portion away from the recording medium and having a track width TW, a middle region extending from the leading region towards the rear portion and having a width larger than the track width TW, and a trailing region extending from the middle region towards the rear portion and having an increasing width. The edges at the boundary between the leading region and the middle region are rounded.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a lower core layer, a gap layer, an upper pole layer, and an upper core layer. At the joint between the upper pole layer and the upper core layer, the width of the upper core layer is larger than the width of the upper pole layer, and also the inner end of the upper core layer is located at the back of the inner end of the upper pole layer. Alternatively, a thin-film magnetic head includes a lower core layer, a recording core, an upper core layer, a coil, and a magnetic intermediate layer. The magnetic intermediate layer has a higher saturation flux density than that of the upper core layer. Methods for fabricating thin-film magnetic heads are also disclosed.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a nonmagnetic lower gap layer, a nonmagnetic upper gap layer, a magnetoresistive layer, an electrode layer, and an intermediate gap layer. The magnetoresistive layer and the electrode layer are formed between the lower gap layer and the upper gap layer. The intermediate gap layer is disposed between the lower gap layer and the upper gap layer, and is formed in the region at both sides of the magnetoresistive layer in the track width direction and/or in the region behind the magnetoresistive layer in the depth direction. The length of the magnetoresistive layer in the depth direction is first determined, the width of the magnetoresistive layer in the track width direction is determined, and then the hard magnetic bias layers and the electrode layers are formed.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head having a plurality of coils is capable of recording with higher density. A magnetic pole section for restricting a track width is formed between a lower core layer and an upper core layer, and two coil layers are tiered between a reference surface and a lower core layer through the intermediary of a coil insulating layer. This allows a magnetic path to be shortened. As a result, narrower tracks and lower inductance can be both achieved, and the narrower tracks combined with faster data transfer enable higher-density recording to be attained.

Abstract: An upper core layer and a lower core layer are extended from a back region to a pole tip region so that the surfaces thereof are exposed from a medium-facing surface, and a back insulating layer made of a novolak resin and having an apex surface formed by post baking is formed in the back region on a gap layer provided between the upper core layer and the lower core layer. Furthermore, an upper pole layer is formed on the pole tip region side of the gap layer by electroplating using the gap layer as an electrode so that the gap depth Gd is determined by the length from the medium-facing surface to the back insulating layer in a portion of the upper pole layer which contacts the gap layer, and a coil is partially provided on the back insulating layer.

Abstract: In a thin film magnetic head, a face surface faces a recording medium and a front surface of an upper core layer is a curved surface which gradually retreats in a height direction generally perpendicular to the face surface as it approaches both sides thereof, and the thickness of the upper core layer gradually increases in the height direction. It is thus possible to appropriately suppress the occurrence of side fringing, efficiently cause a magnetic flux to flow from the upper core layer to an upper pole layer, and make the thin film magnetic head adaptable to a higher recording density.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes an upper core layer and a lower core layer which are made of an Fe—M—O alloy, an Fe—M—T—O alloy or an NI—Fe—X alloy so that the upper core layer has a high saturation magnetic flux density, low coercive force and high resistivity, and the lower core layer has a lower saturation magnetic flux density than the upper core layer, low coercive force, high resistivity, and a low magnetostriction constant. Also the lower core layer is formed so that the thickness gradually decreases toward both side ends, and a gap layer can be formed on the lower core layer to have a uniform thickness. Since the lower core layer is formed by sputtering, a material having excellent soft magnetic material can be used, thereby enabling recording at high frequency.

Abstract: According as the gap layer formed between the magnetoresistive effect element and the shielding layer becomes smaller along with the recent tendency toward a higher recording density, the electrode layer of the magnetoresistive effect element and the shielding layer have been electrically connected, and this has caused a deterioration of the reproduction property. An insulating layer is formed under an electrode layer of a magnetoresistive effect element interposed a lower gap layer therebetween. As a result, the distance between the electrode layer and the lower shielding layer becomes longer, thus permitting maintenance of a satisfactory electrical insulation.

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 thin-film magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording comprising an auxiliary magnetic pole layer; a main magnetic pole layer; a conductive coil layer in a spiral shape which is disposed between the main magnetic pole layer and the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and which cross the magnetic circuit; and insulating layers electrically insulating the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and the main magnetic pole layer from the conductive coil layer. The insulating layers have flat surfaces formed at the sides further from the auxiliary magnetic pole layer, the front end portion of the main magnetic pole layer is provided on one of the flat surfaces, and the conductive coil layer is disposed under the main magnetic pole layer so that a part of the conductive coil layer opposes the front end portion of the main magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head has a magnetic lower core layer and a magnetic upper core layer formed on the lower core layer with a nonmagnetic gap layer provided therebetween, and the lower core layer and the upper core layer are opposed on an opposing surface which faces a recording medium. The upper core layer includes a leading region extending from the opposing surface towards the rear portion away from the recording medium and having a track width TW, a middle region extending from the leading region towards the rear portion and having a width larger than the track width TW, and a trailing region extending from the middle region towards the rear portion and having an increasing width. The edges at the boundary between the leading region and the middle region are rounded.

Abstract: In a thin-film structure, since a flat face of a bump, which is exposed at the surface of an insulating layer and is to be in contact with an electrode layer, is an exposed surface of a nickel layer, an oxide layer on the flat face can be reliably removed by using ion-milling or sputter etching.

Abstract: An antenna storage part 22c is provided on a thin board or plate-like main body 2 of the PC card 1 which most part of the top and bottom is covered by the radio wave shield material 10, 12. The extendible antenna unit 3 is inserted in this storage part of the antenna unit. In time of using, at least the antenna part 32a of the antenna unit 3 is expanded outside of the radio wave shield material of the main body 2 and retained in the expanded position to receive and send the radio wave. In time of not using, the antenna unit 3 is stored and retained in the stored position where the substantially entire antenna unit 3 is stored in the main body 2.

Abstract: An electrode material for an electrochemical capacitor having a large capacity, having a titanium oxide compound such as titanium oxide, hydrated titanium oxide or their hydrogenated products, and at least one oxidizable and reducible metal element contained in the titanium oxide compound.

Abstract: According as the gap layer formed between the magnetoresistive effect element and the shielding layer becomes smaller along with the recent tendency toward a higher recording density, the electrode layer of the magnetoresistive effect element and the shielding layer have been electrically connected, and this has caused a deterioration of the reproduction property. An insulating layer is formed under an electrode layer of a magnetoresistive effect element interposed a lower gap layer therebetween. As a result, the distance between the electrode layer and the lower shielding layer becomes longer, thus permitting maintenance of a satisfactory electrical insulation.