Abstract: Each intralayer lens disposed between a color filter 120 and photoelectric conversion sections has a Fresnel lens structure composed of a center lens 132 and an annular lens 134. As a result, the thickness of the intralayer lenses is reduced, and positions of upper lenses can be lowered without having to reduce the thickness of a color filter.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device production method is provided. A light-receiving section 12 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1. A first insulating film 6 is formed on a light-receiving section 12 and the semiconductor substrate 1. A metal film for wiring is formed on the first insulating film 6. A protection film 8 is formed on the metal film. A resist film is formed on a predetermined region of the protection film. A portion of the protection film 8 and a portion of the metal film is removed by using the resist film to form a wire 7 whose upper face is covered by the protection film 8. A hydrogen-containing second insulating film 10 is formed on the wire 7 and the first insulating film 6. A heating process is performed for the second insulating film 10. An anisotropic etching process is performed for the entire surface of the second insulating film 10 to remove the second insulating film 10.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a solid-state apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof, the solid-state apparatus having both high transfer efficiency in a horizontal transfer CCD and efficient breakdown voltage in a vertical transfer CCD and including a semiconductor substrate 110, first layer poly-silicon electrodes 120 and second layer poly-silicon electrodes 130 which form two layered overlap poly-silicon electrodes, an embedded channel region 140 which is formed in a surface unit of the semiconductor substrate 110 and becomes a transfer path for signal charge, and a photodiode region where photodiodes are aligned two-dimensionally, the photodiodes converting light into signal charge and accumulating the signal charge, wherein an inter-electrode distance c in the horizontal transfer CCD is shorter than an inter-electrode distance a in the vertical transfer CCD.

Abstract: There is provided a charge detecting device that can convert an accumulated charge to a voltage at a low voltage and a high efficiency, and has a large dynamic range of an output voltage and satisfactory linearity of a conversion efficiency. The charge detecting device includes a charge accumulating portion including a low concentration N-type (N−) layer 108 formed in a P-type well 101 and a high concentration N-type (N+) layer formed between the N− layer and a principal surface. The N+ layer is connected to an input terminal of an amplifying transistor of an output circuit, and after a reverse bias is applied to the N+ layer during discharging of the accumulated charge, the entire N− layer is depleted at least until a saturated charge is accumulated.

Abstract: A longitudinal bias layer is laminated above a free magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic layer provided therebetween so that the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer is oriented by RKKY interaction with the longitudinal bias layer. The RKKY interaction exerts only between the longitudinal bias layer and the regions of the free magnetic layer which are located directly below both ends D of the longitudinal bias layer. Therefore, a thin film magnetic element can be provided, in which the width dimension of a recess formed in the longitudinal bias layer coincides with the magnetic track width.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording comprising an auxiliary magnetic pole layer; a main magnetic pole layer; a conductive coil layer in a spiral shape which is disposed between the main magnetic pole layer and the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and which cross the magnetic circuit; and insulating layers electrically insulating the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and the main magnetic pole layer from the conductive coil layer. The insulating layers have flat surfaces formed at the sides further from the auxiliary magnetic pole layer, the front end portion of the main magnetic pole layer is provided on one of the flat surfaces, and the conductive coil layer is disposed under the main magnetic pole layer so that a part of the conductive coil layer opposes the front end portion of the main magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head has coil layer formed in a space surrounded by a lower core layer, a protruding layer and a back gap layer. The top of these layers are planarized to a continuous flat surface. A lower magnetic pole layer, a gap layer, an upper magnetic pole layer and an upper core layer are formed on the flat surface and are precisely formed in a predetermined shape. The track width Tw can also be set to a predetermined dimension by the width of the upper magnetic pole layer at a surface facing the recording medium. Also, the magnetic path can be shortened to improve magnetic properties.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state imaging device includes forming a transfer channel portion and a light-receiving portion in a silicon substrate; forming a silicon oxide film on the silicon substrate; forming a silicon nitride film on the silicon oxide film, the silicon nitride film acting as a gate insulating film together with the silicon oxide film above the transfer channel portion and acting as an anti-reflection film above the light-receiving portion; forming a protection film on the silicon nitride film; forming a polysilicon film above the silicon nitride film via the protection film at least above the light-receiving portion; and etching the polysilicon film so as to form a transfer electrode above the transfer channel portion. The etching of the polysilicon film is carried out so that the polysilicon film is removed above the light-receiving portion while the protection portion remains.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film magnetic head having a recording track width of 1 &mgr;m or less, and a method for manufacturing the thin film magnetic head having a recording track width of 1 &mgr;m or less. In the thin film magnetic head, an upper core layer and a lower core layer extend from a back region toward a magnetic pole tip region, and are exposed at a medium opposing surface, and a gap layer is provided, in the magnetic pole tip region, between the upper core layer and the lower core layer. An insulation layer is deposited on the lower core layer, and a groove that extends from the medium opposing surface toward the back region is provided in the magnetic pole tip region of the insulation layer. A lower magnetic pole layer, the gap layer, and an upper magnetic pole layer are deposited in the groove. The lower magnetic pole layer is joined to the lower core layer, while the upper magnetic pole layer is joined to the upper core layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state imaging device includes forming a transfer channel portion and a light-receiving portion in a silicon substrate; forming a silicon oxide film on the silicon substrate; forming a silicon nitride film on the silicon oxide film, the silicon nitride film acting as a gate insulating film together with the silicon oxide film above the transfer channel portion and acting as an anti-reflection film above the light-receiving portion; forming a protection film on the silicon nitride film; forming a polysilicon film above the silicon nitride film via the protection film at least above the light-receiving portion; and etching the polysilicon film so as to form a transfer electrode above the transfer channel portion. The etching of the polysilicon film is carried out so that the polysilicon film is removed above the light-receiving portion while the protection portion remains.

Abstract: A longitudinal bias layer is laminated above a free magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic layer provided therebetween so that the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer is oriented by RKKY interaction with the longitudinal bias layer. The RKKY interaction exerts only between the longitudinal bias layer and the regions of the free magnetic layer which are located directly below both ends D of the longitudinal bias layer. Therefore, a thin film magnetic element can be provided, in which the width dimension of a recess formed in the longitudinal bias layer coincides with the magnetic track width.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprises a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a photo-receiving portion of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate; a detecting portion of the second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate; an insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a transfer gate electrode formed on the insulating film at lest between the photo-receiving portion and the detecting portion; and a read-out circuit, which is electrically connected to the detecting portion. A diffusion region of the same conductivity type as the detecting portion is formed in a region of the semiconductor substrate that is adjacent to an end of the detecting portion near the gate electrode and separate from the photo-receiving portion. An impurity concentration in the photo-receiving portion and an impurity concentration in the diffusion region are lower than an impurity concentration in the detecting portion.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprises a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a photo-receiving portion of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate; a detecting portion of the second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate; an insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a transfer gate electrode formed on the insulating film at lest between the photo-receiving portion and the detecting portion; and a read-out circuit, which is electrically connected to the detecting portion. A diffusion region of the same conductivity type as the detecting portion is formed in a region of the semiconductor substrate that is adjacent to an end of the detecting portion near the gate electrode and separate from the photo-receiving portion. An impurity concentration in the photo-receiving portion and an impurity concentration in the diffusion region are lower than an impurity concentration in the detecting portion.

Abstract: A spin-valve type thin film element includes an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer, a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer, a bias layer, and an electrically conductive layer. The magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer in the end regions in relation to the track width is fixed in the direction of the leakage magnetic field from a recording medium, and the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer in the central region is fixed in the direction inclined in relation to the direction of the leakage magnetic field from the recording medium. A method for manufacturing a spin-valve type thin film element includes the steps of forming a multi-layered film, magnetic annealing at a temperature T1, patterning the multi-layered film into a predetermined shape, forming a bias layer on both sides of the multi-layered film, magnetizing the bias layer, annealing without applying a magnetic field at a temperature T2, and magnetizing the bias layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording comprising an auxiliary magnetic pole layer; a main magnetic pole layer; a conductive coil layer in a spiral shape which is disposed between the main magnetic pole layer and the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and which cross the magnetic circuit; and insulating layers electrically insulating the auxiliary magnetic pole layer and the main magnetic pole layer from the conductive coil layer. The insulating layers have flat surfaces formed at the sides further from the auxiliary magnetic pole layer, the front end portion of the main magnetic pole layer is provided on one of the flat surfaces, and the conductive coil layer is disposed under the main magnetic pole layer so that a part of the conductive coil layer opposes the front end portion of the main magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: A longitudinal bias layer and an electrode layer are formed on a non-magnetic material layer. The longitudinal bias layer and the electrode layer are partially removed by an etching technique so that a narrow gap defining the track width Tw is formed in the longitudinal bias layer and the electrode layer. Furthermore, a three-layer film consisting of, from bottom to top, a magnetoresistance effect layer, a non-magnetic layer, and a transverse bias layer, or otherwise a spin valve film consisting of a free magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer, a fixed magnetic layer and a bias layer is formed on the above structure. The three-layer film or the spin valve film is then partially removed by an etching technique so that the three-layer film or the spin valve film remains only in the above-described narrow gap formed in the longitudinal bias layer and the electrode layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor is fabricated as follows. First of all, first antiferromagnetic layers are created on the upper surfaces on both sides of a lower-gap layer, sandwiching a track width on the upper surface of the lower-gap layer. Then, a free magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer, a pinned magnetic layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer are stacked on the first antiferromagnetic layers and a portion on the track width one after another in the order the layers are enumerated. Since the free magnetic layer is created after the first antiferromagnetic layer, the free magnetic layer and the first antiferromagnetic layer are adhered to each other with a high degree of reliability. When the direction of magnetization in the free magnetic layer is changed by an external magnetic field, the electrical resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor also changes. The change in electrical resistance is, in turn, used for detecting the external magnetic field.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor fabricated by creating first antiferromagnetic layers on the upper surfaces of a lower-gap layer, the antiferromagnetic layer having first and second exposed portions separated by a track width formed by the upper surface of the lower-gap layer. Then, a free magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer, a pinned magnetic layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer are stacked on the first antiferromagnetic layers and a portion on the track width one after another. Since the free magnetic layer is created after the first antiferromagnetic layer, the free magnetic layer and the first antiferromagnetic layer are adhered to each other with a high degree of reliability. When the direction of magnetization in the free magnetic layer is changed by an external magnetic field, the electrical resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor also changes. The change in electrical resistance is, in turn, used for detecting the external magnetic field.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetoresistive head wherein: a magnetoresistive film is created in a read-track region at the center of the magnetoresistive head; an antiferromagnetic film and a ferromagnetic film experiencing an exchange coupling magnetic field due to direct contact with the antiferromagnetic film are created on each end of the magnetoresistive film outside the read-track region in such a way that the ferromagnetic film is located beside the magnetoresistive film; a nonmagnetic intermediate film is created between the magnetoresistive film and the ferromagnetic film for preventing ferromagnetic coupling from being developed on a contact boundary surface between the magnetoresistive film and the ferromagnetic film and for making crystal orientations of the antiferromagnetic film and the ferromagnetic film uniform; and bias magnetization is applied to the magnetoresistive film by exchange coupling between the antiferromagnetic film and the ferromagnetic film.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head including a magnetoresistive film formed in a read-track region, and antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic films are formed on each end of the magnetoresistive film outside of the read-track region such that bias magnetization is applied to the magnetoresistive film by exchange coupling between the antiferromagnetic film and the ferromagnetic film. A nonmagnetic intermediate film is formed between the ferromagnetic film and the magnetoresistive film for preventing ferromagnetic coupling on a contact boundary surface between the ferromagnetic film and the magnetoresistive film. In accordance with another aspect, a magnetoresistive head includes an antiferromagnetic layer formed from an X—Mn alloy, where X is an element selected from the group consisting of Pt, Rh, Ru, Tr, and Pd. An interdiffusion layer is formed between the antiferromagnetic film and a ferromagnetic layer or a pinned magnetic layer by heat treatment.