Abstract: A manufacturing method for a magnetoresistive element includes: a step of forming a stack; a step of forming an insulating film to cover the stack; a step of forming an initial magnetic layer to cover the stack and the insulating film so that a thickness of the initial magnetic layer in a first direction is greater than a thickness of the stack in the first direction; a step of forming an organic material film on the initial magnetic layer; and an etching step of etching a part of the initial magnetic layer and the organic material film by ion beam etching so that the initial magnetic layer becomes a pair of magnetic layers.

Abstract: A waveguide includes a core and a cladding. The core has an inlet on which light is incident. The core includes a front portion and a rear portion located between the front portion and the inlet. The front portion and the rear portion each have a thickness that is a dimension in a first direction and a width that is a dimension in a second direction. The first direction is orthogonal to a propagation direction of the light. The second direction is orthogonal to the propagation direction of the light and the first direction. The thickness of the front portion decreases with increasing distance from the inlet.

Abstract: A waveguide includes a core and a cladding. The core has an inlet on which light is incident. The core includes a front portion and a rear portion located between the front portion and the inlet. The front portion and the rear portion each have a thickness that is a dimension in a first direction and a width that is a dimension in a second direction. The first direction is orthogonal to a propagation direction of the light. The second direction is orthogonal to the propagation direction of the light and the first direction. The thickness of the front portion decreases with increasing distance from the inlet.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole, a trailing shield, and a spin torque oscillator. A top surface of the main pole includes a first inclined portion, a second inclined portion, and a third inclined portion arranged in order of closeness to a medium facing surface. Each of the first to third inclined portions has a front end closest to the medium facing surface and a rear end farthest from the medium facing surface. Each of the first to third inclined portions is inclined relative to the medium facing surface and a direction orthogonal to the medium facing surface so that its rear end is located forward relative to its front end in a direction of travel of a recording medium.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a medium facing surface, a main pole, a waveguide, and a plasmon generator. A second metal layer of the plasmon generator includes a second front end facing the medium facing surface. A third metal layer of the plasmon generator includes a narrow portion located on the second metal layer. The narrow portion includes a front end face located in the medium facing surface and configured to generate near-field light from a surface plasmon, and a rear end opposite the front end face. The rear end is located farther from the medium facing surface than is the second front end.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole, a trailing shield, a spin torque oscillator, first and second side shields, first and second gap films, and first and second guard films. The first gap film and the first guard film are interposed between the trailing shield and the first side shield. The second gap film and the second guard film are interposed between the trailing shield and the second side shield.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a medium facing surface, a main pole, a trailing shield, and a spin torque oscillator. A bottom surface of the trailing shield includes a first portion that includes an end located in the medium facing surface and is in contact with the spin torque oscillator at least in part. An element height that is a dimension of the spin torque oscillator in a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface and a writer height that is a dimension of the first portion in the direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface are different from each other.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a medium facing surface, a main pole, a trailing shield, a spin torque oscillator, and a first insulating layer. The first insulating layer is interposed between a portion of the main pole and a portion of the spin torque oscillator. The first insulating layer has a first end closest to the medium facing surface. The spin torque oscillator has a rear end farthest from the medium facing surface. The first end of the first insulating layer is located closer to the medium facing surface than the rear end of the spin torque oscillator is.

Abstract: A near-field light generator includes a plasmon generator including a plasmon exciting portion on which a surface plasmon is excited, and a near-field transducer including a front end face that generates near-field light from the surface plasmon. The near-field transducer is formed of a first metal material. The plasmon generator includes a first portion formed of the first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material. The first portion is in contact with the near-field transducer. The second portion includes at least part of the plasmon exciting portion.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a magnetic head includes the steps of: forming a main pole; forming a spin torque oscillator; and forming a trailing shield. The step of forming the spin torque oscillator includes: a step of forming a layered film; a step of forming an interposition layer; a step of forming a mask; a first etching step of etching a portion of the interposition layer using the mask; a second etching step of etching a portion of the layered film using the mask and the interposition layer as an etching mask; a step of removing the interposition layer and the mask; and a patterning step of patterning the layered film into the spin torque oscillator.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole, a trailing shield, a spin torque oscillator, and a buffer layer. The buffer layer is interposed between the main pole and the spin torque oscillator. The spin torque oscillator has first and second side surfaces. The first and second side surfaces respectively form first and second angles with respect to a direction perpendicular to a top surface of a substrate. The first and second angles each fall within a range of 0° to 10°. The buffer layer has third and fourth side surfaces. The third side surface includes a first inclined portion forming a third angle greater than the first angle. The fourth side surface includes a second inclined portion forming a fourth angle greater than the second angle.

Abstract: A first side shield has a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and a second side shield has a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall. The first to fourth sidewalls have first to fourth edges, respectively, that are farthest from a top surface of a substrate. The distance between a rear end of the first edge and a rear end of the third edge in a track width direction is greater than the distance between a front end of the first edge and a front end of the third edge in the track width direction. The distance between the second edge and the fourth edge in the track width direction increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A first side shield has a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and a second side shield has a third sidewall and a fourth sidewall. The first to fourth sidewalls have first to fourth edges, respectively, that are farthest from a top surface of a substrate. The distance between a rear end of the first edge and a rear end of the third edge in a track width direction is greater than the distance between a front end of the first edge and a front end of the third edge in the track width direction. The distance between the second edge and the fourth edge in the track width direction increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A management system includes an information processing apparatus; a management apparatus; and a load balancing apparatus. And the management apparatus specifies a first processing entity that relates to a first application program whose performance is not guaranteed, upon detecting that a value related to a load of a second processing entity that relates to a second application program whose performance is guaranteed is equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold, and requests the information processing apparatus to stop the first processing entity, and the information processing apparatus requests the load balancing apparatus to stop allocating processing to the first processing entity, stops the first processing entity upon detecting that a value related to a load of the first processing entity is equal to or less than a second predetermined threshold, and causes a third processing entity to start processing for the second application program.

Abstract: A management system includes an information processing apparatus; a management apparatus; and a load balancing apparatus. And the management apparatus specifies a first processing entity that relates to a first application program whose performance is not guaranteed, upon detecting that a value related to a load of a second processing entity that relates to a second application program whose performance is guaranteed is equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold, and requests the information processing apparatus to stop the first processing entity, and the information processing apparatus requests the load balancing apparatus to stop allocating processing to the first processing entity, stops the first processing entity upon detecting that a value related to a load of the first processing entity is equal to or less than a second predetermined threshold, and causes a third processing entity to start processing for the second application program.

Abstract: Cracks are generated in a resist film part used to form an opening part in a photoreceptor part, whereby etching is performed as far as the inter-layer insulating film in unintended portions. In order to prevent this, the resist pattern used as an etching mask is formed in a shape that disperses the stress. The stress is generated because the resist is hardened by post baking after having been exposed and developed. In order to disperse the stress, the opening part of the resist pattern is formed in a planar shape that has no corners.

Abstract: The absorption of moisture from a wall surface of an apertured part formed in an interlayer insulating film in accordance with a light-receiving part of a light detector is minimized and deterioration of wiring in the interlayer insulating film is prevented. A position that corresponds to a light-receiving part 52 of a wiring-structure layer 90 obtained by layering an Al layer and an interlayer insulating film composed of SOG or another material is etched, and an apertured part 120 is formed. A silicon nitride film 130 is then deposited on a side-wall surface and bottom surface of the apertured part 120 via CVD. The silicon nitride layer 130 prevents moisture from infiltrating the wiring-structure layer 90.

Abstract: Cracks are generated in a resist film part used to form an opening part in a photoreceptor part, whereby etching is performed as far as the inter-layer insulating film in unintended portions. In order to prevent this, the resist pattern used as an etching mask is formed in a shape that disperses the stress. The stress is generated because the resist is hardened by post baking after having been exposed and developed. In order to disperse the stress, the opening part of the resist pattern is formed in a planar shape that has no corners.

Abstract: In a photodetector where a circuit section, in which an interconnection is formed, is formed adjacent to a light receiving section, photo sensitivity within a light receiving surface is prevented from being non-uniform due to an interlayer insulating film at a periphery of the light receiving section being increased in thickness. In a circuit region, a buffer region is disposed adjacent to a light receiving section. In the buffer region, in order to reduce irregularity of an interlayer insulating film, a density of planarizing pads disposed between the interconnections is gradually reduced from a standard value in a region as it approaches the light receiving section.

Abstract: Due to a difference in a film thickness generated in structure layers located on top of a light receiver, a bottom surface of an open part does not flatten and an amount of incident light within a surface of the light receiver becomes nonuniform. A flat layer is formed by using a damascene process to form a first metal interlayer or by polishing using CMP an insulation film stacked after the first metal layer is formed. As a result, the insulation film stacked on the light receiver is also formed evenly. Thus, when an inside of the light receiver is opened by etching, the bottom surface of the open part can be formed evenly.