Abstract: An MR element comprises: a tunnel barrier layer having two surfaces that face toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to an external magnetic field; and a pinned layer that is a ferromagnetic layer disposed adjacent to the other of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a fixed direction of magnetization. The free layer incorporates: a first soft magnetic layer disposed adjacent to the one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer; a high polarization layer disposed such that the first soft magnetic layer is sandwiched between the tunnel barrier layer and the high polarization layer; and a second soft magnetic layer disposed such that the high polarization layer is sandwiched between the first and second soft magnetic layers.

Abstract: A magnetic storage cell including of two magneto-resistive elements to remove in-phase noise in a read output, and reduces a loss of a current magnetic field, when information is written thereinto, to efficiently produce magnetization reversal. In addition, the area occupied by the magnetic storage cell is reduced to increase the storage capacity, and the structure of the magnetic storage cell is simplified to facilitate the manufacturing. The magnetic storage cell including two TMR elements, and an annular magnetic layer provided commonly for the two TMR elements. The TMR elements are disposed in a direction along a laminating surface with respect to each other. A write bit line and a write word line are provided commonly for the two TMR elements. The annular magnetic layer is disposed with its axial direction defined in a direction along the laminating surface, and is passed through by the lines.

Abstract: An upper metal layer made of a non-magnetic metal is formed as a protection layer on the top surface of a free layer positioned topmost of a magneto-resistive layer constituting a TMR device. An upper electrode, serving additionally as an upper magnetic shield layer, is electrically connected to the free layer through an underlying layer of the upper electrode, and the upper metal layer. The thickness of the upper metal layer is chosen to be 10 nm or more.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic transducer having good thermal stability, a thin film magnetic head, a method of manufacturing a magnetic transducer and a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head. A stack of an MR element has a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic layer and a capping layer, which are stacked in this order on the underlayer. The ferromagnetic layer is divided into a bottom layer and a top layer in the direction of stack. A ferromagnetic interlayer having magnetism and having higher electrical resistance than the electrical resistance of the ferromagnetic layer is formed between the bottom layer and the top layer. The ferromagnetic interlayer magnetically integrates the bottom layer with the top layer and limits a path for electrons moving through the stack, thereby improving the rate of resistance change.

Abstract: A magnetic storage cell is comprised of two magneto-resistive elements to remove in-phase noise in a read output, and reduces a loss of a current magnetic field, when information is written thereinto, to efficiently produce magnetization reversal. In addition, the area occupied by the magnetic storage cell is reduced to increase the storage capacity, and the structure of the magnetic storage cell is simplified to facilitate the manufacturing. The magnetic storage cell comprises two TMR elements, and an annular magnetic layer provided commonly for the two TMR elements. The TMR elements are disposed in a direction along a laminating surface with respect to each other. A write bit line and a write word line are provided commonly for the two TMR elements. The annular magnetic layer is disposed with its axial direction defined in a direction along the laminating surface, and is passed through by the lines.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive device is provided for contributing to a higher MR ratio and a reduced cleaning time for cleaning the surface of a cap layer. In the magneto-resistive device, a cap layer which serves as a protection layer is formed on a free layer which is the topmost layer of a magneto-resistive layer constituting a TMR devise. An upper electrode which is additionally used as an upper magnetic shield is electrically connected to the free layer through an upper metal layer. The cap layer comprised of a two-layer film made up of a conductive layer closer to the free layer and a topmost conductive layer. The conductive layer closer to the free layer is made of a material having higher oxygen bond energy than Ru, such as Zr, Hf, or the like. The topmost conductive layer is made of a material having lower oxygen bond energy, such as a noble metal or the like.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive device has a magneto-resistive layer laminated between electrodes. The magneto-resistive layer has a non-magnetic layer, a pinned layer and a free layer sandwiching the non-magnetic layer, and a pin layer formed on the pinned layer on the opposite side to the free layer. The pin layer is formed in a region which substantially overlaps with an effective region in a film plane direction in which a current flows in a direction substantially perpendicular to the film plane between the electrodes in a predetermined thickness, and is formed in a region which does not substantially overlap with the effective region substantially in the same thickness as the predetermined thickness or in a thickness smaller than the predetermined thickness, continuous from the region which substantially overlaps with the effective region.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic transducer having a higher rate of resistance change and a larger magnitude of resistance change and having better stability of properties, and a thin film magnetic head. A stack of an MR element has a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic layer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a second nonmagnetic layer and a high-resistance layer, which are stacked in sequence on the underlayer. The orientation of magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is fixed by exchange coupling between the ferromagnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer. The orientations of magnetizations of the first soft magnetic layer and the second soft magnetic layer change according to an external magnetic field.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic transducer and a thin film magnetic head having good thermal stability and capable of obtaining a high exchange coupling magnetic field, a method of manufacturing a magnetic transducer and a method of a manufacturing a thin film magnetic head. An MR element has a stack having a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, a crystal-growth inhibitor layer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic layer and a cap layer, which are stacked in sequence. The ferromagnetic layer has an inner ferromagnetic layer, a coupling layer and an outer ferromagnetic layer, which are stacked in this order on the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: An upper metal layer made of a non-magnetic metal is formed as a protection layer on the top surface of a free layer positioned topmost of a magneto-resistive layer constituting a TMR device. An upper electrode, serving additionally as an upper magnetic shield layer, is electrically connected to the free layer through an underlying layer of the upper electrode, and the upper metal layer. The thickness of the upper metal layer is chosen to be 10 nm or more.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive device has a magneto-resistive layer laminated between electrodes. The magneto-resistive layer has a non-magnetic layer, a pinned layer and a free layer sandwiching the non-magnetic layer, and a pin layer formed on the pinned layer on the opposite side to the free layer. The pin layer is formed in a region which substantially overlaps with an effective region in a film plane direction in which a current flows in a direction substantially perpendicular to the film plane between the electrodes in a predetermined thickness, and is formed in a region which does not substantially overlap with the effective region substantially in the same thickness as the predetermined thickness or in a thickness smaller than the predetermined thickness, continuous from the region which substantially overlaps with the effective region.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor according to the present invention has a spin-valve film structure which includes an underfilm, a first ferromagnetic film, a conductive film, a second ferromagnetic film, an antiferromagnetic film and a protective film. One surface of the first ferromagnetic film is adjacent to the one surface of the underfilm, and the one surface of the conductive film is adjacent to the other surface of the first ferromagnetic film. One surface of the second ferromagnetic film is adjacent to the other surface of the conductive film. One surface of the antiferromagnetic film adjacent to the other surface of the second ferromagnetic film, and thus, the antiferromagnetic film is bonded to the second ferromagnetic film with exchange interaction. One surface of the protective film is adjacent to the other surface of the antiferromagnetic film. The underfilm has a face centered cubic crystal structure, and is oriented in the (111) plane direction.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic transducer and a thin film magnetic head having good thermal stability and capable of obtaining a high exchange coupling magnetic field, a method of manufacturing a magnetic transducer and a method of a manufacturing a thin film magnetic head. An MR element has a stack having a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, a crystal-growth inhibitor layer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic layer and a cap layer, which are stacked in sequence. The ferromagnetic layer has an inner ferromagnetic layer, a coupling layer and an outer ferromagnetic layer, which are stacked in this order on the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor according to the present invention has a spin-valve film structure which includes an underfilm, a first ferromagnetic film, a conductive film, a second ferromagnetic film, an antiferromagnetic film and a protective film. One surface of the first ferromagnetic film is adjacent to the one surface of the underfilm, and the one surface of the conductive film is adjacent to the other surface of the first ferromagnetic film. One surface of the second ferromagnetic film is adjacent to the other surface Of the conductive film. One surface of the antiferromagnetic film adjacent to the other surface of the second ferromagnetic film, and thus, the antiferromagnetic film is bonded to the second ferromagnetic film with exchange interaction. One surface of the protective film is adjacent to the other surface of the antiferromagnetic film. The underfilm has a face centered cubic crystal structure, and is oriented in the (111) plane direction.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic transducer having a higher rate of resistance change and a larger magnitude of resistance change and having better stability of properties, and a thin film magnetic head. A stack of an MR element has a stacked structure comprising an underlayer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic layer, a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a second nonmagnetic layer and a high-resistance layer, which are stacked in sequence on the underlayer. The orientation of magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is fixed by exchange coupling between the ferromagnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer. The orientations of magnetizations of the first soft magnetic layer and the second soft magnetic layer change according to an external magnetic field.