Abstract: A magnetic coupling type isolator includes: a magnetic field generator for generating an external magnetic field by an input signal; a magnetoresistive element for detecting the external magnetic field and converting the detected magnetic field into an electric signal, the magnetoresistive element being electrically insulated from the magnetic field generator and positioned in a location capable of being magnetically coupled so as to be overlapped with the magnetic field generator as seen in a top plan view; first and second shield films overlapped with the magnetic field generator and the magnetoresistive element as seen in a top plan view; and a third shield film disposed to surround the magnetoresistive element.

Abstract: A magnetic coupling type isolator includes: a magnetic field generator for generating an external magnetic field by an input signal; a magnetoresistive element for detecting the external magnetic field and converting the detected magnetic field into an electric signal, the magnetoresistive element being electrically insulated from the magnetic field generator and positioned in a location capable of being magnetically coupled so as to be overlapped with the magnetic field generator as seen in a top plan view; and first and second shield films overlapped with the magnetic field generator and the magnetoresistive element as seen in a top plan view, wherein a distance between the magnetoresistive element and the second shield film is set to 8 to 100 ?m.

Abstract: A CPP giant magnetoresistive head includes lower and upper shield layers, and a giant magnetoresistive element disposed between the upper and lower shield layers and including a pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. In the CPP giant magnetoresistive head, the pinned magnetic layer extends to the rear of the nonmagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer in the height direction, and the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer in the height direction is larger than that in the track width direction. Also, the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant or a magnetic material having high coercive force, and the end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing a recording medium.

Abstract: A first pinned magnetic sublayer 4a has a multilayered structure including a first insertion subsublayer disposed between a lower ferromagnetic subsublayer and an upper ferromagnetic subsublayer. The first insertion subsublayer has an average thickness exceeding 3 ? and 6 ? or less. This results in an interlayer coupling magnetic field Hin lower than a known art while RA and the rate of resistance change (?R/R) substantially identical to those of the known structure are maintained.

Abstract: A lower shield layer and an upper shield layer are formed to have a planar shape, and a detecting element is provided between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer. End faces of the upper shield layer may extend farther in a depthwise direction from a surface facing a recording medium than end faces of the lower shield layer. A lower conductive electrode may be disposed directly adjacent to a facing inner surface of the lower shield layer. An upper conductive electrode may be disposed adjacent to a portion of the upper shield layer. Therefore, the lower shield layer and the upper conductive electrode may be insulated from each other.

Abstract: A tunneling magnetic sensing element includes a laminate in which an underlayer, a seed layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, an insulating barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer are laminated in order from below. The insulating barrier layer is made of Mg—O. The underlayer is made of Ti, and the seed layer is made of one selected from a group consisting of Ni—Fe—Cr and Ru.

Abstract: A tunneling magnetic sensing element includes a laminate in which a pinned magnetic layer having a magnetization direction pinned, an insulating barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer having a magnetization direction variable with an external magnetic field are laminated in order from below. The insulating barrier layer is made of Mg—O. The free magnetic layer has a soft magnetic layer and an enhanced layer disposed between the soft magnetic layer and the insulating barrier layer to have a spin polarization ratio higher than the soft magnetic layer. An insertion magnetic layer made of one selected from Co—Fe—B, Co—B, Fe—B, and Co—Fe is inserted into the soft magnetic layer in a direction parallel to the interface of each layer constituting the laminate, and the soft magnetic layer is divided into multiple layers in a thickness direction through the insertion magnetic layer.

Abstract: A lower shield layer has a substantially flat shape, and an upper shield layer has a front portion and a rear portion, where the front portion is disposed closer to the lower shield layer than the rear portion. A lower conductive electrode and an upper conductive electrode are disposed between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer. The lower conductive electrode is electrically connected to the lower shield layer, and the upper conductive electrode is electrically connected to the upper shield layer. Since the lower and upper conductive electrodes are disposed between the upper and lower shield layers, each of the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer may be formed to have a small area and a simple shape.

Abstract: A free magnetic layer of a tunnel-effect type magnetic sensor is formed on an insulating barrier layer made of Mg—O, and the free magnetic layer includes an enhancement layer, a first soft magnetic layer, a non-magnetic metal layer, and a second soft magnetic layer, which are laminated in that order from the bottom. For example, the enhancement layer is formed of Co—Fe, the first and the second soft magnetic layers are formed of Ni—Fe, and the non-magnetic metal layer is formed of Ta. The average thickness of the first soft magnetic layer is formed in the range of 5 to 60 ?. Accordingly, a high resistance change rate (?R/R) can be obtained.

Abstract: A CPP giant magnetoresistive head includes lower and upper shield layers, and a giant magnetoresistive element disposed between the upper and lower shield layers and including a pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. In the CPP giant magnetoresistive head, the pinned magnetic layer extends to the rear of the nonmagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer in the height direction, and the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer in the height direction is larger than that in the track width direction. Also, the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant or a magnetic material having high coercive force, and the end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing a recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic sensing element including a laminate and a bias layer is provided. A first reactive-ion-etching (RIE) stop layer is disposed on a free magnetic layer. Second RIE stop layers are disposed on bias layers. The first and second RIE stop layers function as stop layers when layers on the first and second RIE stop layers are removed by reactive ion etching in a production process. Reactive ion etching is completed when the first RIE stop layer and the second RIE stop layers are exposed, the first and second RIE stop layers being disposed at almost the same height. Also provided is a process for producing the magnetic sensing element.

Abstract: A CPP giant magnetoresistive head includes lower and upper shield layers, and a giant magnetoresistive element disposed between the upper and lower shield layers and including a pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. In the CPP giant magnetoresistive head, the pinned magnetic layer extends to the rear of the nonmagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer in the height direction, and the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer in the height direction is larger than that in the track width direction. Also, the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant or a magnetic material having high coercive force, and the end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing a recording medium.

Abstract: A CPP thin-film magnetic head includes lower and upper shield layers separated by a predetermined distance and a thin-film magnetic head element disposed therebetween. Current flows in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the thin-film magnetic head element. The CPP thin-film magnetic head further includes an insulating layer positioned at the rear of the thin-film magnetic head element in a height direction and covering the thin-film magnetic head element and the lower shield layer, a first nonmagnetic metal layer provided in a region defined by the insulating layer, and a second nonmagnetic metal layer disposed between the upper shield layer and the first nonmagnetic metal layer, the insulating layer, and the thin-film magnetic head element. The second nonmagnetic metal layer allows current to flow from the upper shield layer to the thin-film magnetic head element through the first nonmagnetic metal layer.

Abstract: A re-transfer printing machine 60 uses an ink film 33 having a sublimation-ink area of sublimation inks Y, M, C and an invisible-ink area of an invisible ink UVS and an intermediate-transfer film 11 having a protecting layer 11c and an ink receptor layer 11d enabling the sublimation inks and the invisible ink to be received. The machine includes an overlap detecting part 76-5 for detecting whether a print image contains an overlapping between a sublimation-ink image 18 and an invisible-ink image 20 and a controller 6 for controlling a transfer operation corresponding to detection by the overlap detecting part. If the overlap detecting part detects that the print image contains the overlapping, the controller allows the machine to transfer the sublimation-ink and invisible-ink images to different areas in the receptor layer. If not, the controller allows the machine to transfer the sublimation-ink and invisible-ink images to an identical area 212 in the receptor layer.

Abstract: An underlying layer is composed of Co—Fe—B that is an amorphous magnetic material. Thus, the upper surface of the underlying layer can be taken as a lower shield layer-side reference position for obtaining a gap length (GL) between upper and lower shields, resulting in a narrower gap than before. In addition, since the underlying layer has an amorphous structure, the underlying layer does not adversely affect the crystalline orientation of individual layers to be formed thereon, and the surface of the underlying layer has good planarizability. Accordingly, PW50 (half-amplitude pulse width) and SN ratio can be improved more than before without causing a decrease in rate of change in resistance (? R/R) or the like, thereby achieving a structure suitable for increasing recording density.

Abstract: A tunneling magnetic sensing element includes: a pinned magnetic layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned in one direction; an insulating barrier layer; and a free magnetic layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field. The pinned magnetic layer, the insulating barrier layer and the free magnetic layer are deposited in the named order. A first protective layer composed of a platinum-group element is disposed on the free magnetic layer, and a second protective layer composed of Ti is disposed on the first protective layer.

Abstract: A tunnel magnetoresistive element includes a laminate including a pinned magnetic layer, an insulating barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer. The insulating barrier layer is composed of Ti—Mg—O or Ti—O. The free magnetic layer includes an enhancement sublayer, a first soft magnetic sublayer, a nonmagnetic metal sublayer, and a second soft magnetic sublayer. For example, the enhancement sublayer is composed of Co—Fe, the first soft magnetic sublayer and the second soft magnetic sublayer are composed of Ni—Fe, and the nonmagnetic metal sublayer is composed of Ta. The total thickness of the average thickness of the enhancement sublayer and the average thickness of the first soft magnetic sublayer is in the range of 25 to 80 angstroms. Accordingly, the tunneling magnetoresistive element can consistently have a higher rate of resistance change than before.

Abstract: A free magnetic layer has a laminated structure in which a first magnetic sublayer composed of Co—Fe or Fe and a second magnetic sublayer composed of Co—Fe—B or Fe—B are formed, in that order, on an insulating barrier layer composed of Mg—O. This effectively improves the rate of change in resistance (?R/R) compared with the related art.

Abstract: In a tunneling magnetoresistive element, an insulating barrier layer is made of Mg—O, and a first pinned magnetic layer has a laminated structure in which a nonmagnetic metal sublayer made of Ta is interposed between a lower ferromagnetic sublayer and an upper ferromagnetic sublayer. The nonmagnetic metal sublayer has an average thickness of about 1 ? or more and about 5 ? or less.

Abstract: A CPP thin-film magnetic head includes a bottom shield layer; a top shield layer, the bottom shield layer and the top shield layer being disposed at a predetermined interval; a thin-film magnetic head element between the bottom shield layer and the top shield layer; an insulating layer behind the thin-film magnetic head element in the height direction and disposed between the bottom shield layer and the top shield layer; and a metal layer in the insulating layer, the top shield layer including a first top shield sublayer on the thin-film magnetic head element; and a second top shield sublayer behind the first top shield sublayer in the height direction, the second top shield sublayer and the bottom shield layer being conductively connected through the metal layer, wherein a current flows in the direction orthogonal to a surface of a layer constituting the thin-film magnetic head element.