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 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 resist pattern for lift-off is formed on a first film composed of one or more layers deposited on a substrate. The first film is patterned by dry-etching using the resist pattern as a mask. Subsequently, a second film is deposited with presence of the resist pattern on the first film. Then, the resist pattern for lift-off is removed for conducting lift-off. Subsequently, the resulting substrate is etched. In the etching, the substrate is dry-etched using etching particles which are oriented at an incident angle set in a range of 60 ° to 90 ° relative to the normal direction of the substrate.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a magneto-resistive device. The magneto-resistive device is for reducing the deterioration in the characteristics of the device due to annealing. The magneto-resistive device has a magneto-resistive layer formed on one surface side of a base, and an insulating layer formed of two layers and deposited around the magneto-resistive layer. The layer of the insulating layer closest to the base is made of a metal or semiconductor oxide. This layer extends over end faces of a plurality of layers made of different materials from one another, which make up the magneto-resistive device, and is in contact with the end faces of the plurality of layers with the same materials.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of an MR element in which current flows in a direction perpendicular to layer planes, includes forming on a lower electrode layer an MR multi-layered film having a cap layer at a top thereof, forming a mask on the cap layer of the MR multi-layered film, patterning the MR multi-layered film by milling through the mask to form an MR multi-layered structure, forming a magnetic domain control bias layer by using a lift off method using the mask, after forming the magnetic domain control bias layer, forming an additional cap layer on the cap layer and a part of the magnetic domain control bias layer, planarizing a top surface of the additional cap layer and the magnetic domain control bias layer, and forming an upper electrode layer on the planarized top surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a lower magnetic shield layer, an MR multi-layered structure formed on the lower magnetic shield layer so that current flows in a direction perpendicular to surfaces of laminated layers, and an upper magnetic shield layer formed on the MR multi-layered structure. The lower magnetic shield layer consists of a first soft magnetic layer and a second soft magnetic layer laminated on and magnetically connected with the first soft magnetic layer. A part of an upper surface of the first soft magnetic layer outside both side ends in a track-width direction of the MR multi-layered structure is located lower in height than an upper surface within a region where the MR multi-layered structure is formed, of the lower magnetic shield layer. The second soft magnetic layer is formed outside both side ends in a track-width direction of the MR multi-layered structure.

Abstract: A method of lapping a magnetic head slider includes a step of lapping a lapping surface of a row bar provided with a plurality of MR read head elements arranged along at least one line, a step of obtaining at least one output signal from at least one of the plurality of MR read head elements of the row bar during lapping, the at least one output signal corresponding to element resistance, a step of detecting at least one peak value of the obtained at least one output signal, and a step of controlling an amount of lapping of the row bar depending upon the detected at least one peak value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic head, a head assembly, and a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus which are capable of effectively detecting thermal asperity. The magnetic head according to the present invention includes a heat-generating resistor, a recording coil, and a resistive element. The heat-generating resistor is adapted to generate heat when power is fed thereto so that the heat generation causes at least a part of the air bearing surface to thermally expand and protrude. The recording coil is adapted to generate a recording magnetic field, and the resistive element is disposed closer to the air bearing surface than the recording coil and connected in series or in parallel with the heater. Thus, the resistive element can share a common wiring with the heater for power feeding, which eliminates the waste of wiring and achieves miniaturization.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a lower magnetic shield layer, an MR multi-layered structure formed on the lower magnetic shield layer so that current flows in a direction perpendicular to surfaces of laminated layers, an insulation layer formed to surround the MR multi-layered structure, an additional metal layer laminated on at least the MR multi-layered structure, an upper electrode layer made of a soft magnetic material laminated on the additional metal layer and the insulation layer, and an upper magnetic shield layer laminated on the upper electrode layer. The additional metal layer has a multi-layered structure including a nonmagnetic metal layer and a soft magnetic layer laminated on the nonmagnetic metal layer, and has a length along a track-width direction of the MR multi-layered structure larger than a width of a magnetization-free layer in the MR effect multi-layered structure.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a lower electrode layer, an MR multi-layered structure, through which a current passes in a direction perpendicular to a lamination plane, stacked on the lower electrode layer, soft magnetic layers for magnetic domain control formed on both sides in a track width direction of the MR multi-layered structure, an anti-ferromagnetic layer for magnetic domain control continuously stacked on the MR multi-layered structure and the soft magnetic layers for magnetic domain control, the anti-ferromagnetic layer mutually exchanged-coupled to the soft magnetic layers for magnetic domain control, and an upper electrode layer stacked on the anti-ferromagnetic layer for magnetic domain control.

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: Composite thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate; a first insulation layer on the substrate; an MR read head element on the first insulation layer and provided with a lower shield layer, an upper shield layer and an MR layer with a sense current flowing perpendicular to a surface of the MR layer though the upper and lower shield layers; a second insulation layer on the MR read head element; an inductive write head element on the second insulation layer and provided with a lower magnetic pole layer, a recording gap layer, an upper magnetic pole layer with end portion opposed to an end portion of the lower magnetic pole layer through the recording gap layer and a write coil; and a nonmagnetic conductive layer electrically conducted with the lower shield layer and opposed to the substrate to increase the electrode area between the lower shield layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive element has a lower layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and an upper layer. The lower layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the upper layer are disposed adjacent to each other and are stacked in this order. A magnetization direction of either of the lower layer and the upper layer is fixed relative to an external magnetic field, and a magnetization direction of the other layer is variable in accordance with the external magnetic field. A crystalline portion and a non-crystalline portion co-exist in a plane that is parallel with a surface of the tunnel barrier layer.

Abstract: A tunneling magneto-resistive element includes: a tunneling magneto-resistive film including an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a barrier layer and a free layer; and a lower magnetic shielding film disposed below the tunneling magneto-resistive film with respect to a lamination direction. The barrier layer is constituted of magnesium oxide. The lower magnetic shielding film has a multi-layer structure including a crystalline layer and an amorphous layer disposed above the crystalline layer with respect to the lamination direction. The crystalline layer contains at least one crystal grain having a grain size of 500 nm or more.

Abstract: In manufacturing the thin film magnetic head, the rear end face of the MR element and the rear end face of a resistive film pattern are determined with high precision using a mask pattern, in which a first opening and a second opening are collectively formed. The first and second openings are located side by side in a track-width direction. The first opening includes a first edge extending across the MR film in the track-width direction, and the second opening includes a second edge located at a given interval, as measured in a direction orthogonal to the track-width direction, from the first edge, and extending in the track-width direction. In the step of polishing for forming a magnetic-recording-medium-facing-surface, the amount of polishing is determined by monitoring the resistance change of the resistive film pattern, thereby reducing the dimension errors in the MR height when manufacturing the MR element.

Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element comprises: a magnetoresistive stack including: first, second and third magnetic layers whose magnetization directions change in accordance with an external magnetic field, said second magnetic layer being located between said first magnetic layer and the third magnetic layer; a first non-magnetic intermediate layer sandwiched between said first and second magnetic layers, said first non-magnetic intermediate layer allowing said first magnetic layer and said second magnetic layer to be exchange-coupled such that the magnetization directions thereof are anti-parallel to each other when no magnetic field is applied; and a second non-magnetic intermediate layer sandwiched between said second and third magnetic layers, said second non-magnetic intermediate layer producing a magnetoresistance effect between said second magnetic layer and said third magnetic layer; wherein sense current is adapted to flow in a direction perpendicular to a film plane; a bias magnetic layer provided

Abstract: A composite thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate; a first insulation layer laminated on the substrate; an MR read head element formed on the first insulation 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; a second insulation layer laminated on the MR read head element; an inductive write head element formed on the second insulation layer and provided with a lower magnetic pole layer, a recording gap layer, an upper magnetic pole layer whose end portion is opposed to an end portion of the lower magnetic pole layer through the recording gap layer and a write coil; and a nonmagnetic conductive layer electrically conducted with the lower shield layer and opposed to the substrate in order to increase substantially countered area between the lower shield layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head has an air bearing surface and comprises magnetic shield layers, an MR element, bias-applying layers, and a hard magnetic layer. Each of the magnetic shield layers has an end face forming the air bearing surface, and an end face located opposite to the end face. The MR element is located between the magnetic shield layers and on the end face side. The bias-applying layers are located between the magnetic shield layers and are arranged to apply a bias magnetic field to the MR element. The hard magnetic layer is located between the magnetic shield layers and on the end face side. A height of the hard magnetic layer is larger than ? and smaller than ½ of a height of each magnetic shield layer.

Abstract: The thin-film magnetic head of the present invention comprises an MR sensor wherein a first ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction is fixed with respect to external magnetic fields, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer in which a magnetization direction changes with respect to the external magnetic fields are stacked, and wherein a sense current flows substantially parallel to the stacked layer surface.