Abstract: An MR element incorporates a nonmagnetic conductive layer, and a pinned layer and a free layer that are disposed to sandwich the nonmagnetic conductive layer. Each of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer. The Heusler alloy layer contains a Heusler alloy in which atoms of a magnetic metallic element are placed at body-centered positions of unit cells, and an additive element that is a nonmagnetic metallic element that does not constitute the Heusler alloy. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a region in which the concentration of the additive element increases as the distance from the nonmagnetic conductive layer decreases, the region being adjacent to the nonmagnetic conductive layer.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive element includes a lower magnetic shield film and a magneto-resistive film disposed above the lower magnetic shield film. The lower magnetic shield film includes a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer. The upper shield layer is amorphous or microcrystalline, made of a NiFe or CoFe composition containing B or P, and deposited on the lower shield layer. The lower shield layer is a magnetic conductive layer which is amorphous or microcrystalline with a crystal grain size equal to or less than 20 nm.

Abstract: In an MR element, each of a pinned layer and a free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer. The Heusler alloy layer has two surfaces that are quadrilateral in shape and face toward opposite directions. The Heusler alloy layer includes one crystal grain that touches four sides of one of the two surfaces. In a method of manufacturing the MR element, a layered film to be the MR element is formed and patterned, and then heat treatment is performed on the layered film patterned, so that crystal grains included in a film to be the Heusler alloy layer in the layered film grow and one crystal grain that touches four sides of one of the surfaces of the film to be the Heusler alloy layer is thereby formed.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium having recorded a hash-value generation program for calculating a hash value within a shorter period of processing time. When a target disk is specified for hash value calculation, a segment division block divides the target disk into fixed-length segments. A first hash-value calculation block applies a one-way hash function to all data in each segment to calculate a per-segment hash value. A second hash-value calculation block arranges the per-segment hash values in a segment order corresponding to the order of the data stored on the target disk and applies the one-way hash function again to the arranged per-segment hash values to calculate a total hash value. The hash value calculated in this manner is defined as a hash value of the target disk.

Abstract: A pinned layer of an MR element includes an underlying magnetic layer made of a magnetic alloy layer having a body-centered cubic structure, and a Heusler alloy layer formed on the underlying magnetic layer. A free layer of the MR element includes an underlying magnetic layer made of a magnetic alloy layer having a body-centered cubic structure, and a Heusler alloy layer formed on the underlying magnetic layer. Each of these two Heusler alloy layers is made of a CoMnSi alloy having an Mn content higher than 25 atomic percent and lower than or equal to 40 atomic percent, and contains a principal component having a B2 structure in which Co atoms are placed at body-centered positions of unit cells and Mn atoms or Si atoms are randomly placed at vertexes of the unit cells.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head including forming the first shield layer; forming the magnetoresistive device, carried out after forming the first shield layer, a heat treatment providing exchange coupling between the ferromagnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer so as to magnetize the ferromagnetic layer in a predetermined direction; forming the domain control layer so as to hold the magnetoresistive device in a track width direction; magnetizing the domain control layer in a direction yielding a magnetic field in the same direction as with a magnetic field received by the ferromagnetic layer upon exchange-coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer, forming the second shield layer, carried out after magnetizing the domain control layer, and remagnetizing the domain control layer in a direction yielding the longitudinal bias magnetic field, carried out after forming the second shield layer.

Abstract: A magnetic thin film has a layer which is formed of an alloy having a ordered crystal structure whose composition formula is represented by XYZ or X2YZ (where X is one or more than one of the elements selected from the group consisting of Co, Ir, Rh, Pt, and Cu, Y is one or more than one of the elements selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mn, and Fe, and Z is one or more than one of the elements selected the group consisting of Al, Si, Ge, As, Sb, Bi, In, Ti, and Pb). The alloy contains at least one additive element which is not included in the composition formula of the alloy and which has a Debye temperature that is equal to or less than 300K.

Abstract: An MR element has a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer successively stacked in the order named. The free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer in at least a region thereof adjacent to the spacer layer. An oxide is distributed as sea-islands in the interface between the Heusler alloy layer and the spacer layer. The Heusler alloy layer virtually has a stoichiometric composition. The oxide has an RA in the range from 0.10 ??m2 to 0.36 ??m2.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element according to the present invention comprises a pinned layer whose magnetization direction is fixed; a free layer whose magnetization direction varies in accordance with an external magnetic field; and a nonmagnetic spacer layer that is arranged between said pinned layer and said free layer. At least either said pinned layer or said free layer includes a Heusler alloy layer that is disposed adjacent to said spacer layer, and compounds are arranged in a dotted pattern at an interface between said spacer layer and at least said spacer layer and said pinned layer or said spacer layer and said free layer, said compounds including material that is included in said Heusler alloy layer.

Abstract: A longitudinal bias magnetic field control layer applies a counter bias magnetic field to a soft magnetic layer that is antiparallel (in opposite direction) to a longitudinal bias magnetic field. A magnitude of the counter bias magnetic field applied to the soft magnetic layer by the longitudinal bias magnetic field control layer is set smaller than that of the longitudinal bias magnetic field at a track center portion of the soft magnetic layer applied by a pair of bias magnetic field applying layers. A substantial longitudinal bias magnetic field is substantially applied to the soft magnetic layer in the same direction as that of the longitudinal bias magnetic field, and a magnitude of the substantial longitudinal bias magnetic field is maximum at both end portions of the soft magnetic layer and is weakened at the center portion of the soft magnetic layer.

Abstract: A virtual storage system control apparatus, a virtual storage system control program and a virtual storage system control method can move one or more than one virtual volumes without suspending the services being provided. The virtual storage system control apparatus comprises a plurality of storage device control sections that assign virtual volumes to the storage devices of the virtual storage clusters, generate information on the virtual volumes, set up a link between the virtual volumes of the own virtual storage clusters and the virtual volumes of other virtual storage clusters by way of the network and copy data on the basis of the link and a management node that directs a move of a virtual volume by having the link set up according to the information on the virtual volumes.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive element has: a first stacked film assembly having a pinned layer, a spacer layer, and a free layer; a first electrode layer which is arranged such that the first layer is in contact with the first electrode layer on the other side of the first layer, the first electrode layer being made of a ferromagnetic material; and a second electrode layer which is arranged on a side that is opposite to the first electrode layer with regard to the first stacked film assembly. The first and second electrode layers are adapted to apply a sense current to the first stacked film assembly and the first layer in a direction that is perpendicular to layer surfaces. The first layer is made of gold, silver, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, chromium or platinum, or an alloy thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a vacuum cleaner including a dust separation section which separates air and dust flowing toward an intake port of a motor blower through a connection port of a cleaner main body. The dust separation section includes an air path forming member which performs a separation function. The forming member includes an introductory port, a derivative port, and an opening disposed between these. In the separation function, while dust-containing air flows toward the derivative port from the introductory port, a part of the air is sucked by the motor blower through the opening. Accordingly, the air is separated from the dust which goes straight in the air path forming member with inertia.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance element according to the present invention has a pinned layer whose magnetization direction is fixed; a free layer whose magnetization direction varies in accordance with an external magnetic field; and a nonmagnetic spacer layer that is arranged between the pinned layer and the free layer, at least the pinned layer or the free layer includes a layer having Heusler alloy represented by composition formula X2YZ (where X is a precious metal element, Y is a transition metal of Mn, V, or Ti group, Z is an element from group III to group V), and a part of composition X is replaced with Co, and an atomic composition ratio of Co in composition X is from 0.5 to 0.85.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a separator case, a motor-driven blower, and a separator. The separator has a separating chamber configured to separate, by using an inertial force, dust from air drawn into the separator case. A dust-collecting section collects the dust separated from air by the separator. A filter catches the dust that has passed through the separator. The dust caught by the filter is dropped by a dust-dropping mechanism. The separator case has a dust-discharging port for guiding the dust dropped from the filter into the separating chamber. The vacuum cleaner further has a shield member that can move between a first position and a second position. At the first position, the shield member connects the dust-discharging port to the separating chamber. At the second position, the shield member disconnects the dust-discharging port from the separating chamber.

Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner including a main body, a filter located in a suction air trunk between an inlet to suck dust and a suction opening of an electric blower and provided in the main body to adsorb the dust, a filter dust-removal device to remove the dust attached to the filter, a dust receiving part to receive the dust removed from the filter and having an outlet through which the dust is discharged, and a dust discharge device configured to discharge the dust in the dust receiving part from the outlet, the dust discharge device having a discharge member configured to discharge dust from the outlet and to be capable of closing the outlet.

Abstract: Provided are a magnetic transducer capable of increasing a resistance change and obtaining an appropriate coercive force, a thin film magnetic head, a method of manufacturing a magnetic transducer and a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head. A stack, a spin valve film has a stacked structure comprising a first soft magnetic layer, a second soft magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic metal layer, a ferromagnetic layer, an antiferromagnetic layer and a protective layer which are stacked in sequence on an underlying layer. Electrical resistance is changed in accordance with a relative angle between the orientation of magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer and the orientation of magnetization of the first and second soft magnetic layers. A soft magnetic interlayer having magnetism and the electrical resistance higher than the electrical resistance of the first soft magnetic layer is formed in the first soft magnetic layer.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of an MR sensor including a step of stacking an anti-ferromagnetic layer made of an electrically conductive anti-ferromagnetic material, a step of stacking a pinned layer on the anti-ferromagnetic layer, a step of stacking a nonmagnetic spacer layer on the pinned layer, a step of exposing at least once a surface of the nonmagnetic spacer layer to an oxygen-contained atmosphere, a step of stacking a free layer on the nonmagnetic spacer layer, a magnetization direction of the free layer being free depending upon a magnetic filed applied thereto, and a step of providing the pinned layer a magnetization direction fixed by an exchange coupling between the anti-ferromagnetic layer and the pinned layer.

Abstract: At the time of a backup process of the sharing disk in a disk shared file system, the write cache of each computer is reflected on a sharing disk, and data of the sharing disk is copied in a backup medium as a batch. Further, blocks to be backed up are listed to be copied in the backup medium as a batch. Then, the log of each computer is stored in a log medium, and the data at the start point of a backup process is formed using the log.

Abstract: An exchange-coupled film has a ferromagnetic layer sandwich comprising a first ferromagnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic material of the body-centered cubic structure and a pair of second ferromagnetic layers containing a ferromagnetic material of the face-centered cubic structure and formed on respective sides of the first ferromagnetic layer; and an antiferromagnetic layer containing a disordered alloy and formed on one of the second ferromagnetic layers. It yields sufficient exchange coupling energy even in smaller thickness of the antiferromagnetic layer than before, whereby it becomes feasible to decrease the thickness of the exchange-coupled film.