Abstract: To enable precise measurement of a cellular thickness distribution regardless of changes in the refractive index of cell(s). Two-dimensional distribution of phase information is obtained, in a state where a first culture solution having a first refractive index is stored so as to completely immerse cells adhered onto a bottom face of a culture vessel, by transmitting light of a wavelength, and by photographing the transmitted light. Next, two-dimensional distribution of phase information is obtained, in a state where a second culture solution having a second refractive index is stored to have a depth to completely immerse the cells in the culture vessel, by transmitting light, and by photographing the transmitted light. Next, respective average values of the phase information are calculated. Next, the refractive index of the cell is estimated. Next, the thickness dimension is calculated using the refractive index.

Abstract: To enable precise measurement of a cellular thickness distribution regardless of changes in the refractive index of a culture solution with the progress of culture. There is provides a culture vessel made of a transparent material with a culture surface capable of culturing cells in an adhesive manner on the bottom face, wherein a reference substance having an already known refractive index and an already known thickness dimension is fixed to a part of the culture surface.

Abstract: Only phase information of a measurement object is extracted with superior precision from a phase-information image in which background phase information is superimposed on phase information of the measurement object.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a pole layer, a first and a second shield disposed to sandwich the pole layer, and a nonmagnetic layer disposed around the first shield. The pole layer includes a first portion having an end face located in a medium facing surface, and a second portion that is located farther from the medium facing surface than is the first portion. The second portion is greater in thickness than the first portion. A bottom surface of the second portion is located closer to a substrate than is a bottom surface of the first portion. The first shield has a first top surface portion opposed to the bottom surface of the first portion with the first gap layer in between. The nonmagnetic layer has a second top surface portion opposed to the bottom surface of the second portion with the first gap layer in between.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes: a coil; a pole layer; a shield having an end face located in a medium facing surface forward of an end face of the pole layer along a direction of travel of a recording medium; a gap layer between the shield and the pole layer; and a substrate on which the foregoing elements are stacked. The top surface of the pole layer includes: first and second portions with a difference in height therebetween; and a third portion connecting the first and second portions to each other. The first portion has an edge located in the medium facing surface, and the second portion is located farther from the medium facing surface and from the substrate than the first portion. The magnetic head further includes a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the second portion and the gap layer. The nonmagnetic layer has a surface touching the second portion, the surface having an edge located at the boundary between the second and third portions.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided, in which thermal protrusion can be suppressed. The thin film magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer which conducts a magnetic flux into the recording medium so that the recording medium is magnetized in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the recording medium, a first return yoke layer provided in a trailing side of the main magnetic pole layer, and has a recess in a top surface, a second return yoke layer provided so as to fill at least the recess of the first return yoke layer, and a thermal expansion suppression layer provided in a trailing side of the second return yoke layer. Thus, since the thermal expansion suppression layer can be provided on a surface having no recess, a possibility of a crack in the thermal expansion suppression layer can be eliminated.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a perpendicular magnetic write head which can suppress unintended erasure of information written on a write medium at a non-writing time by optimizing a magnetic domain structure of main component elements that are engaged in writing operation. In the perpendicular magnetic write head, an auxiliary magnetic pole layer is disposed on a trailing or leading side of a main magnetic pole layer, the auxiliary magnetic pole layer being recessed from the main magnetic pole layer. When the main magnetic pole layer has a tensile stress as its internal stress, a nonmagnetic layer disposed in a layer same as the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and in an area in front of the auxiliary magnetic pole layer, also has a tensile stress as its internal stress.

Abstract: The thin film magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer conducting a magnetic flux to the recording medium so that the recording medium an be magnetized in a direction orthogonal to a surface thereof; a return yoke layer disposed on a trailing side of the main magnetic pole layer; an intermediate protective layer partially disposed on a magnetic shield layer; and a thermal expansion suppressing layer having an edge located on the intermediate protective layer and being in contact with the return yoke layer in an area where the intermediate protective layer is not formed. If the thin film magnetic head is affected by ambient temperature environment, the thermal expansion suppressing layer suppresses the shift of the main magnetic pole layer and the return yoke layer toward the air bearing surface. This suppresses thermal protrusion from occurring on the thin film magnetic head due to ambient temperature environment.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head includes the steps of: fabricating a substructure in which pre-head portions are aligned in a plurality of rows by forming components of a plurality of magnetic heads on a single substrate; and fabricating the plurality of magnetic heads by separating the pre-head portions from one another through cutting the substructure. In the step of fabricating the substructure, the resistance of an MR film that will be formed into an MR element by undergoing lapping later is detected to determine the target position of the boundary between a track width defining portion and a wide portion of a pole layer based on the resistance detected, and the pole layer is thereby formed. In the step of fabricating the magnetic heads, the surface formed by cutting the substructure is lapped such that the MR film is lapped and the resistance thereof thereby reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head includes the steps of: fabricating a substructure in which pre-head portions are aligned in a plurality of rows by forming components of a plurality of magnetic heads on a single substrate; and fabricating the plurality of magnetic heads by separating the pre-head portions from one another through cutting the substructure. In the step of fabricating the substructure, the resistance of an MR film that will be formed into an MR element by undergoing lapping later is detected to determine the target position of the boundary between a track width defining portion and a wide portion of a pole layer based on the resistance thus obtained, and the pole layer is thereby formed. In the step of fabricating the magnetic heads, the surface formed by cutting the substructure is lapped such that the MR film is lapped and the resistance thereof thereby reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprising an inductive element including at least: a lower magnetic pole; a write gap layer; and an upper magnetic pole opposed to the lower magnetic pole through the write gap layer, a width WP2 in a track-width direction at a facing-to-magnetic-medium top end of the upper magnetic pole being larger than a width WP1 in the track-width direction at a facing-to-magnetic-medium top end of the lower magnetic pole, and a distance FPDP2 between the top end of the upper magnetic pole and a flare point of the upper magnetic pole being smaller than a distance FPDP1 between the top end of the lower magnetic pole and a flare point of the lower magnetic pole, is provided.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a lower magnetic layer, an upper magnetic layer, a recording gap layer, and a thin-film coil. The lower magnetic layer has a first magnetic pole tip layer, and a first yoke layer which is connected to the first magnetic pole tip layer. The first yoke layer has an extended part which is relatively thick and a reduced part which is relatively thin in the area in which the first yoke layer confronts the first magnetic pole tip layer, the extended part being positioned on the side of the air bearing surface. Further, the first magnetic pole tip layer is connected to the first yoke layer at the extended part, and is insulated from the first yoke layer at the reduced part.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided to reduce excess magnetostatic leakage field in order to generate a sufficient recording magnetic field. The pole end portion has a width to define a recording track width. The pole rear portion has one end which is magnetically connected with the pole end portion at or in the vicinity of an edge portion of an insulating film and defines a first flare point, the other end which is connected with the upper yoke portion and defines a second flare point, and both side edges in the track width direction which are inclined so that the width in the track width direction gradually increases from the second flare point toward the first flare point. The width of the pole end portion at the first flare point is smaller than the maximum width of the pole rear portion.

Abstract: A composite thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, an under layer formed on the substrate, an MR read head element formed on the under layer and provided with a lower shield layer, an upper shield layer and an MR layer in which a sense current flows in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the MR layer through the upper shield layer and the lower shield layer, an inter-shield insulation layer laminated on the MR read head element, an inductive write head element formed on the inter-shield insulation layer and provided with a first magnetic pole layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a second magnetic pole layer whose end portion is opposed to an end portion of the first magnetic pole layer through the nonmagnetic layer, and a write coil, and an additional shield layer formed between the upper shield layer and the first magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head that the protrusion of the head end surface due to heat generated from the heating means becomes large enough to set the magnetic spacing dMS to the smaller value efficiently is provided. The head comprises: a substrate having an element-formed surface on which at least one concave portion is formed and an ABS; at least one magnetic head element formed above or on the element-formed surface; at least one thermal expansion layer embedded in the at least one concave portion; and at least one heating means positioned directly above the at least one thermal expansion layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprising an inductive element including at least: a lower magnetic pole; a write gap layer; and an upper magnetic pole opposed to the lower magnetic pole through the write gap layer, a width WP2 in a track-width direction at a facing-to-magnetic-medium top end of the upper magnetic pole being larger than a width WP1 in the track-width direction at a facing-to-magnetic-medium top end of the lower magnetic pole, and a distance FPDP2 between the top end of the upper magnetic pole and a flare point of the upper magnetic pole being smaller than a distance FPDP1 between the top end of the lower magnetic pole and a flare point of the lower magnetic pole, is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is intended for a thin film magnetic head which can provide reduction in the excess magnetostatic leakage field even if the flare point is set near to the ABS in order to generate a sufficient recording magnetic field and which can assure stable overwrite characteristics even if there are variations in upper pole portion patterns. The pole end portion 223 has a width W11 to define a recording track width. The pole rear portion 222 has one end which is magnetically connected with the pole end portion 223 at or in the vicinity of an edge portion of an insulating film 273 and defines a first flare point FP1, the other end which is connected with the upper yoke portion 221 and defines a second flare point FP2, and both side edges in the track width direction which are inclined so that the width in the track width direction gradually increases from the second flare point FP2 toward the first flare point FP1.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a lower magnetic layer, an upper magnetic layer, a recording gap layer, and a thin-film coil. The lower magnetic layer has a first magnetic pole tip layer, and a first yoke layer which is connected to the first magnetic pole tip layer. The first yoke layer has an extended part which is relatively thick and a reduced part which is relatively thin in the area in which the first yoke layer confronts the first magnetic pole tip layer, the extended part being positioned on the side of the air bearing surface. Further, the first magnetic pole tip layer is connected to the first yoke layer at the extended part, and is insulated from the first yoke layer at the reduced part.