Abstract: The present invention provides a current sensor of smaller and simpler configuration, capable of measuring a current to be detected with high precision and stability. A current sensor has a V-shaped conductor line and a pair of magnetoresistive elements disposed along with the conductor line so that a resistance value of one of the magnetoresistive elements changes in a direction opposite to that of resistance-value-change of the other magnetoresistive element according to current magnetic fields produced by a current to be detected flowing through the conductor line.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises a read head and a write head. The read head and the write head are placed such that a top shield layer of the read head and a bottom pole layer of the write head are opposed to each other. A magnetism intercepting layer is provided between the top shield layer and the bottom pole layer. The magnetism intercepting layer is made of a nonmagnetic metal material that is capable of being formed through plating, such as platinum. The top shield layer, the magnetism intercepting layer and the bottom pole layer are consecutively formed through plating.

Abstract: The present invention provides a current sensor of smaller and simpler configuration, capable of measuring a current to be detected with high precision and stability. A magnetic sensor includes: an element substrate including a magnetoresistive element, the magnetoresistive element having a pinned layer with a magnetization pinned to a direction, an intermediate layer, and a free layer whose magnetization direction changes according to an external magnetic field; and a magnetic sheet attached on one side of the element substrate so as to apply a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element.

Abstract: A ferrite substrate for thin-film inductors is provided by means of blending raw materials to meet a composition of di-iron trioxide (Fe2O3): 40 to 55 molt %, nickel oxide (NiO): 5 to 35 molt, zinc oxide (ZnO): 10 to 40 molt %, and bismuth trioxide (Bi2O3): 150 to 750 ppm, or of Fe2O3: 40 to 55 molt %, NiO: 5 to 35 mol %, ZnO: 10 to 40 mol %, cupric oxide (CuO): 5 to 10 molt, and manganese dioxide (MnO2): 0.5 to 2 molt %, and then molding and sintering the blended material, and applying hot isostatic pressing to the sintered article. A thin-film common mode filter and a thin-film common mode filter array using the ferrite substrate and the manufacturing method of the substrate are also provided.

Abstract: The current sensor includes: a housing having a base and a lid; and a coil housed in a recess of the base, having winding section consisting of straight-line portions and semicircle portions and lead sections. The lead section includes a straight leader extending continuously from the straight-line portion on the extension thereof, and the semicircle portions are wound so as to climb over the straight leader but are wound in the same layer as the winding section in an area other than that corresponding to the straight leader. For this reason, distribution of the current magnetic fields generated by the coil will become comparatively uniform as a whole. Consequently, current magnetic fields which are sufficiently stabilized current magnetic fields can be applied to a magnetic sensor can be supplied in a uniform direction.

Abstract: A thin film piezoelectric element has a laminate including a piezoelectric film and a pair of electrode films placed so as to sandwich the piezoelectric film in between, a resin film formed so as to cover the laminate, and an electrode formed on the resin film and electrically connected to the electrode film. The resin film is formed so that a thickness of a region where the electrode is formed is larger than a thickness of a region corresponding to a displaced portion of the laminate.

Abstract: Provided is a thin film magnetic head capable of reducing expansion and bending of a recording pattern resulting from a skew so as to improve recording performance. A main pole layer comprises a laminate including a bottom main pole layer being disposed on a medium-incoming side and having a first saturated magnetic flux density and a top main pole layer being disposed on a medium-outgoing side and having a second saturated magnetic flux density larger than the first saturated magnetic flux density. When magnetic flux flows in the main pole layer, magnetic flux saturation occurs in the bottom main pole layer with a smaller saturated magnetic flux density, however, no magnetic flux saturation occurs in the top main pole layer with a larger saturated magnetic flux density, so the magnetic flux flows mainly in the top main pole layer on a priority basis.

Abstract: A method for producing a high density inductor includes the steps of forming a coil having a spiral shape, sealing the coil in the interior of a core member, and forming a terminal electrode for allowing electric conduction to said coil on the outside of said core member. In this method, the coil is formed by repeating a process of forming a wire layer by means of a thin film forming process and a process of forming an additional wire layer on top of the wire layer by means of the thin film forming process to pile up the wire layers. With this production method, it is possible to form a coil with a high aspect ratio. In addition, the inductor is designed in such a way that the core member envelopes only the coil. With that design, it is possible to make the inductor compact.

Abstract: A spring member for an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration in a direction of a Z-axis that is perpendicular to an X-Y plane includes a movable section having a plane plate shape, for fixing a magnetic field generation member with weight of the acceleration sensor, and a single support arm section having a strip shape parallel to a plane of the movable section when no acceleration is applied. One end of the single support arm section is integrally connected to one end of the movable section and the other end of the single support arm section is fixed. Only the single support arm section in a cantilever configuration supports the movable section.

Abstract: A thin film device includes a thin film element disposed on a surface of a substrate for high voltage formed of a material having an electric resistivity in the range of 108?·cm to 1010?·cm, with an adhesive layer in between. The substrate for high voltage is a sintered body containing Al2O3, TiC, and MgO in a predetermined weight ratio. Therefore, if electric charges are generated in the thin film element, the electric charges are, while they are not accumulated in large amounts, gradually shifted via the adhesive layer to the substrate for high voltage, so that the generation of ESD can be suppressed. On the other hand, even when mounted on a lead frame, a sufficient dielectric breakdown voltage can be ensured. This provides a thin film device that is less susceptible to damage due to ESD, and has superior withstand voltage characteristic to permit a stable operation.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor includes a housing member, a spring member attached to the housing member and provided with freedom in at least one direction of acceleration to be detected, a magnetic field generation member with weight fixed to the spring member, and at least one magnetic field detection sensor attached to the housing member to face the magnetic field generation member with weight. Each magnetic field detection sensor is provided with at least one pair of multi-layered MR elements each including a magnetization fixed layer and a magnetization free layer. A magnetized direction of the magnetization fixed layers is fixed to a direction parallel to the direction of acceleration to be detected. The magnetic field generation member with weight includes at least one permanent magnet that provides a closed magnetic loop.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor includes a housing member, a spring member attached to the housing member, a magnetic field generation member fixed to the housing member, and at least one magnetic field detection sensor and a weight member, fixed to the spring member so that the at least one magnetic field detection sensor faces the magnetic field generation member. The spring member has freedom in at least one direction of acceleration to be detected. The at least one magnetic field detection sensor is provided with at least one multi-layered MR element including a magnetization fixed layer and a magnetization free layer. A magnetic field is applied to the at least one multi-layered MR element from the magnetic field generation member in a direction substantially perpendicular to a lamination plane of the at least one multi-layered MR element when no acceleration is applied.

Abstract: The present invention provides a current sensor capable of detecting a current magnetic field generated by a current to be detected with high precision and stability while realizing a compact configuration. The current sensor has: first and second magnetoresistive elements each including a pinned layer having a magnetization direction pinned in a predetermined direction, a free layer whose magnetization direction changes according to applied magnetic fields, and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the pinned layer and the free layer; and first and second permanent magnets for applying bias magnetic fields to the first and second magnetoresistive elements. The bias magnetic field has a parallel component parallel to a magnetization direction under no magnetic field and an orthogonal component orthogonal to the parallel component. Consequently, uniaxial anisotropy of the free layer can be enhanced without using shape anisotropy.

Abstract: A tooth mobility measuring apparatus of this invention includes an impact mechanism which injects or sucks a fluid to apply an impact to a tooth, a sensor which detects the displacement state of the tooth which is moved by the impact force from the impact mechanism, and a tooth mobility calculation mechanism which calculates the tooth mobility of the tooth on the basis of the output signal from the sensor. The displacement state of the tooth is measured without touching the tooth.

Abstract: An angle switch device includes at least one MR element with a pinned layer and a free layer, and a magnet section. A relative angle between the magnet section and a lamination plane of the at least one MR element in a plane that contains a fixed magnetization direction of the at least one MR element and is perpendicular to the lamination plane of the at least one MR element is variable. The angle switch device provides a signal that represents whether the relative angle between the magnet section and the lamination plane of the at least one MR element is larger than or smaller than 90 degrees.

Abstract: A support of a displacement-detection device for detecting a relative displacement of a movable member with respect to a fixed member includes an attaching section to be fixed to the fixed member or the movable member, a pair of first spring arms extended from the attaching section, a first turn-back section coupled to top ends of the pair of first spring arms, a pair of second spring arms extended from the first turn-back section toward a returning direction, a second turn-back section coupled to top ends of the pair of second spring arms, a pair of third spring arms extended from the second turn-back section toward another returning direction, and a sensor-fixing section coupled to top ends of the pair of third spring arms. A displacement-detection sensor is to be fixed to the sensor-fixing section. Bending angles of the pair of first spring arms and the pair of third spring arms and a bending angle of the pair of second spring arms cancel each other out.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head has an inductive write head element including an upper core layer with a front end section magnetically coupling with an upper magnetic pole, a lower core layer with a front end section magnetically coupling with a lower magnetic pole, a coil conductor formed to pass between the upper core layer and the lower core layer, and an coil insulation layer for sandwiching the coil conductor. At least one thermal diffusion layer with a good thermal conductivity is formed on the coil insulation layer at an outside region of the upper core layer, or at least one thermal diffusion layer is formed at an outside region of the upper core layer to contact with a part of the coil conductor or to constitute a part of the coil conductor.

Abstract: The invention provides a vulcanized rubber laminate obtained by firmly bonding an unvulcanized epichlorohydrin rubber layer and an organic peroxide-containing fluororubber layer. The laminate is obtained by thermal adhesion a layer of an unvulcanized epichlorohydrin rubber composition to a layer of an unvulcanized fluororubber composition. The epichlorohydrin rubber composition comprises 1) an unvulcanized epichlorohydrin rubber containing 3 to 15 mol % of allyl glycidyl ether unit, 2) quinoxaline-based vulcanizing agents, mercaptotriazine-based vulcanizing agents or bisphenol-based vulcanizing agents, and 3) 1,8-diazabicyclo(5,4,0)undecene-7 salts, 1,5-diazabicyclo(4,3,0)nonene-5 salts, quaternary ammonium salts, quaternary phosphonium salts, basic white carbons or an alkaline metal salt of higher fatty acid the fluororubber composition comprises an fluororubber and an organic peroxide-based vulcanizing agent.

Abstract: A magnetic encoder includes a magnetic medium, at least three magnetic sensor elements opposed to the magnetic medium and sequentially arranged within a range equal to or shorter than a magnetized pitch or magnetized pitches of the magnetic medium, along a relative movement direction with respect to the magnetic medium, and a signal processing circuit receiving output signals from the at least three magnetic sensor elements. The signal processing circuit includes an input unit for detecting logical states of the output signals received from the at least three magnetic sensor elements and for generating a sequence of state-detection signals arranged in the order of the at least three magnetic sensor elements, and a judgment unit for judging that the output signals received are correct output signals only when the state-detection signal sequence generated agrees with either of two expected state-detection signal sequences.

Abstract: An eddy-current sensor for nondestructive testing according to the present invention includes a planar exciting coil having a pair of current lines in parallel with each other through which exciting currents flow in opposite directions to each other during the testing, for generating an alternative magnetic field applied to a subject to be nondestructively tested by the exciting currents, and at least one MR element positioned on a central axis between the pair of current lines and on the opposite side to the subject in relation to the exciting coil, for detecting a magnetic field generated newly from the subject by an eddy-current induced by the alternative magnetic field.