Abstract: A magnetoresistive head including a magnetoresistive element in which the magnetoresistive head has a specifically determined gap length and/or the magnetoresistive element has a specifically determined magnetostriction constant to thereby define a reproduction output vs. operation current characteristic curve of the head. The above-mentioned gap length and/or magnetostriction constant is determined such that a saturation operation current for which a reproduction output of the head is maximum is higher than an operation current with which the head is operative.

Abstract: The magnetic head according to the present invention has a ferrite substrate and closure. The ferrite substrate has formed therein a first recess in which a conductive coil is to be deposited, while the ferrite closure has formed therein a second recess enclosing a portion of the conductive coil that is contributed to at least signal transducing. The end of the second recess is disposed in a position related with the depth of the tranducing gap. Since the first recess in which the conductive coil is deposited has no influence on the magnetic transducing efficiency, it can be much freely formed by photolithography or reactive ion etching. Also since the second recess having an influence on the magnetic transducing efficiency can be formed by precision machining, no advanced process control is needed.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head comprises a flying slider and a thin film transducer. The flying slider is formed as a polygonal body having a first face constituting a flying face and a second face normal to the first face, on which second face the thin film magnetic transducer is formed. The flying slider is made of a material containing Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiC as the main constituent thereof and on the flying face of the slider is formed Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiO.sub.2. The flying face exhibits an improved sliding property, while enabling use of the excellent features of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiC in forming the thin film element as well as in machining the flying slider. The slider can be produced by subjecting the flying face of the slider made of a material containing Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiC to a gas phase reaction with an oxygen containing gas. Alternatively, a portion of the flying face can be removed and a layer of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiO.sub.2 deposited upon the surface of the flying face.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head comprising a magnetoresistive element, to which a magnetic bias field is applied, is disposed opposite to a magnetic recording medium moving relative thereto, and the resistance value of the magnetoresistive element varying as a result of the relative movement of the magnetoresistive element and the magnetic recording medium is detected to reproduce information recorded on the magnetic recording medium. The magnetoresistive element of the magnetic head has an elongate shape extending along the easy axis of magnetization and has protrusions at its longitudinal ends. The protrusions have, for example, a semicircular or triangular contour. These protrusions are effective for suppressing formation of undesirable domain walls in the magnetoresistive element, so that the magnetic head can operate without substantial variation of its output voltage level and with reduced Barkhousen noise.