Abstract: A CPP type magnetoresistance effect device having a synthetic ferri-pinned spin valve structure including a buffer layer, pinned ferromagnetic layer, nonmagnetic metal intermediate layer, and free ferromagnetic layer and having a free ferromagnetic layer made a specific composition of CoFeAl or CoMnAl, the buffer layer comprising an amorphous metal bottom layer and a nonmagnetic metal top layer. This magnetoresistance effect device increases the output ?RA, reduces the coercivity Hc and the amount of shift Hin from a zero magnetic field to increase the sensitivity, and increases the magnetic field Hua of the resistance half point to increase the pin stability. A magnetic head, magnetic recording system, and magnetic random access memory using this magnetoresistance effect device are also disclosed.

Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator has an amplifier circuit which includes an inductor and a variable capacitance element, and outputs an oscillation signal of an oscillation frequency corresponding to an oscillation frequency control voltage supplied to the variable capacitance element; and a power supply circuit which supplies an operation current to the amplifier circuit, wherein by changing the operation current outputted from the power supply circuit in a state where the oscillation frequency control voltage is fixed to a desired value, a value of the operation current at which the oscillation frequency of the oscillation signal takes a value in the vicinity of a maximum value, is extracted, and the extracted value of the operation current is set as a value of the operation current outputted from the power supply circuit.

Abstract: A spin valve film has a lamination structure of a pinned layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer and a free layer. The pinned layer is made of ferromagnetic material and has a fixed magnetization direction. The non-magnetic intermediate layer is made of non-magnetic conductive material. The free layer is made of ferromagnetic material and changes a magnetization direction by external magnetic field. Electrodes let current flow through the spin valve film in a lamination direction. At least one of the pinned layer and the free layer includes a lamination portion of a first layer and a second layer stacked alternately. The first layer has a composition ratio of elements presenting ferromagnetism higher than that in the second layer. The second layer has a composition ratio of elements presenting non-magnetism higher than that in the first layer. The lamination portion includes at least two first layers and at least one second layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head includes a first magnetic shield, a first electrode terminal arranged on the first magnetic shield at an entry side of a magnetic field from a carrier, a third electrode terminal that is spaced from the first electrode terminal, and arranged on the first magnetic shield at a side opposite to the entry side of the magnetic field from the carrier, a magnetoresistive coating arranged on the first and third electrode terminals, a second electrode terminal that is arranged on the magnetoresistive coating, and opposed to the first electrode terminal, a second magnetic shield arranged on the second electrode terminal, and a sense current source connected to the first and second electrode terminals, which applies sense current in a direction perpendicular to a coating surface of the magnetoresistive coating.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element that detects a change of magnetoresistance by giving a sense current in the thickness direction of a magnetoresistive effect film including at least a base layer, a free layer, a non-magnetic layer, a pinned layer, a pinning layer, and a protection layer, includes a granular structure layer that includes conductive particles and an insulating matrix material in the form of a thin film containing the conductive particles in a dispersed state and having a smaller thickness than the particle diameter of the conductive particles, the granular structure layer being interposed between at least two adjacent layers among the base layer, the free layer, the non-magnetic layer, the pinned layer, the pinning layer, and the protection layer.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a backup roll that is rotated in accordance with movement of a web and supports the web from a rear surface thereof and a nozzle that includes a first edge and a second edge located at an upstream side of the first edge in a direction of movement of the web and extrudes a coating composition toward a surface of the web through a flow channel formed between the first edge and the second edge. The first edge is formed so that a corner portion between an end surface that faces the backup roll and a side surface that faces the second edge is arc-shaped in cross section and the end surface of the first edge protrudes further toward the backup roll than an end surface of the second edge that faces the backup roll.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor including the following layers, in order: a first conductor layer; a first antiferromagnetic layer; a first pinned ferromagnetic layer; a first nonmagnetic intermediate layer; a free ferromagnetic layer; a second nonmagnetic intermediate layer; a second pinned ferromagnetic layer; a second antiferromagnetic layer; and a second conductor layer. Alternatively, the magnetoresistive sensor may include the following layers, in order: a first conductor layer; a first free ferromagnetic layer; a first nonmagnetic intermediate layer; a first pinned ferromagnetic layer; an antiferromagnetic layer; a second pinned ferromagnetic layer; a second nonmagnetic intermediate layer; a second free ferromagnetic layer; and a second conductor layer.

Abstract: A smaller electrode layer of an upper electrode is formed on a surface of a free magnetic layer. A domain controlling film of an insulating material is formed adjacent to the smaller electrode layer on the surface of the free magnetic layer. Magnetization of the free magnetic layer is oriented in a single direction based on magnetic exchange coupling between the domain controlling film and the free magnetic layer. An electric connection is established between the free magnetic layer and the upper electrode only through the smaller electrode layer. The path of a sensing current can be reduced in the free and a pinned magnetic layer. A higher sensitivity can thus be obtained in the CPP structure magnetoresistive element. Effective magnetic core width can also be reduced in the CPP structure magnetoresistive element.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element is disclosed that includes a magnetoresistive film; a cap film configured to cover the magnetoresistive film and include a three-layer structure in at least a part thereof, the three-layer structure being formed of a third protection layer, a second protection layer, and a first protection layer in order from the magnetoresistive film side; and upper and lower terminals for applying a sense current perpendicularly to the surface of the magnetoresistive film. The magnetoresistive film includes a first magnetic layer whose direction of magnetization is changed by an external magnetic field, a second magnetic layer whose direction of magnetization is fixed with respect to the external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic layer magnetically separating the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element of a CPP type configuration including a fixed magnetic layer, a first non-magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer, and a second non-magnetic layer is disclosed. The magnetoresistive element includes a first interface layer situated between the free magnetic layer and the first non-magnetic layer, and a second interface layer situated between the free magnetic layer and the second non-magnetic layer. The first interface layer and the second interface layer include a material mainly having CoNiFe.

Abstract: A magnetic head is provided. The magnetic head comprises a magnetoresistance film, a flux guide, and a flux-guide regulating film. The flux guide guides a signal magnetic field from a magnetic recording medium to the magnetoresistance film. The flux-guide regulating film aligns magnetic domains of the flux guide into a single magnetic domain.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spin valve magnetoresistive sensor including a first conductor layer, a free ferromagnetic layer provided on the first conductor layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer provided on the free ferromagnetic layer, a pinned ferromagnetic layer provided on the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, an antiferromagnetic layer provided on the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and a second conductor layer provided on the antiferromagnetic layer. At least one of the free ferromagnetic layer and the pinned ferromagnetic layer has a thickness larger than that providing a maximum resistance change rate or resistance change amount in the case of passing a current in an in-plane direction of the at least one layer. That is, the thickness of at least one of the free ferromagnetic layer and the pinned ferromagnetic layer falls in the range of 3 nm to 12 nm.

Abstract: The magnetoresistive effect element comprises an electrode layer 12 of a crystalline material; a base layer 14 of a conductive amorphous material formed over the electrode layer 12, an antiferromagnetic layer 18 of a crystalline material formed over the base layer 14, a ferromagnetic layer 20 formed over the antiferromagnetic layer 18 and having the magnetization direction defined by the antiferromagnetic layer 18, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer 22 formed over the ferromagnetic layer 20, a ferromagnetic layer 24 formed over the nonmagnetic intermediate layer 22 and having the magnetization direction changed by an external magnetic field, and an electrode layer 28 formed over the ferromagnetic layer 24.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spin valve magnetoresistive sensor including a first conductor layer, a free ferromagnetic layer provided on the first conductor layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer provided on the free ferromagnetic layer, a pinned ferromagnetic layer provided on the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, an antiferromagnetic layer provided on the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and a second conductor layer provided on the antiferromagnetic layer. At least one of the free ferromagnetic layer and the pinned ferromagnetic layer has a thickness larger than that providing a maximum resistance change rate or resistance change amount in the case of passing a current in an in-plane direction of the at least one layer. That is, the thickness of at least one of the free ferromagnetic layer and the pinned ferromagnetic layer falls in the range of 3 nm to 12 nm.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head includes a first magnetic shield, a first electrode terminal arranged on the first magnetic shield at an entry side of a magnetic field from a carrier, a third electrode terminal that is spaced from the first electrode terminal, and arranged on the first magnetic shield at a side opposite to the entry side of the magnetic field from the carrier, a magnetoresistive coating arranged on the first and third electrode terminals, a second electrode terminal that is arranged on the magnetoresistive coating, and opposed to the first electrode terminal, a second magnetic shield arranged on the second electrode terminal, and a sense current source connected to the first and second electrode terminals, which applies sense current in a direction perpendicular to a coating surface of the magnetoresistive coating.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive element employs a CPP structure and includes an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetization layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer and a free magnetization layer that are successively stacked. The pinned magnetization layer includes a first pinned magnetization layer, a nonmagnetic coupling layer and a second pinned magnetization layer that are successively stacked on the antiferromagnetic layer, and the first and second pinned magnetization layers are antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled. One of the first and second pinned magnetization layer is formed by a ferromagnetic layer made of a ferromagnetic material at least including one element or alloy selected from a group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni and alloys thereof, and the other is formed by a resistance control layer made of a conductive ferromagnetic oxide.

Abstract: An input data check control portion, which compares input data with a decimal point check target word (step 64, 65) and, issues a warning when the input data is the decimal point check target word and the numerical value data of the input data is not given a decimal point (step 66), is provided. This structure enables the prevention of input mistakes of coordinate data and the like, which are easily made at the time of manual programming of a machining program for an NC machine tool, and also enables said input mistakes to be easily found.

Abstract: An input data check control portion, which compares input data with a decimal point check target word (step 64, 65) and, issues a warning when the input data is the decimal point check target word and the numerical value data of the input data is not given a decimal point (step 66), is provided. This structure enables the prevention of input mistakes of coordinate data and the like, which are easily made at the time of manual programming of a machining program for an NC machine tool, and also enables said input mistakes to be easily found.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive device includes a laminated film, and a mechanism for applying sense current in a direction of lamination in the laminated film, wherein the laminated film includes a first ferromagnetic layer having a substantially fixed direction of magnetization, a second ferromagnetic layer having a freely variable direction of magnetization according to an external magnetic field, the second ferromagnetic layer including a non-magnetic metal layer, and two or more ferromagnetic metal layers separated from each other by the non-magnetic metal layer in the direction of lamination, and a non-magnetic intermediate layer that separates the first and second ferromagnetic layer from each other.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head for detecting a magnetic signal on a recording medium as a reproduction signal includes a first magnetic shield, a first electrode terminal disposed on the first magnetic shield, a magnetoresistive film disposed on the first electrode terminal, magnetic domain control films disposed on both sides of the magnetoresistive film for controlling magnetic domains in the magnetoresistive film by applying a bias magnetic field in a first direction to the magnetoresistive film. The magnetoresistive head further includes a second electrode terminal disposed on the magnetoresistive film, and a second magnetic shield disposed on the second electrode terminal. At the time of reproduction of the magnetic signal, a sense current is passed across the first and second electrode terminals in the direction perpendicular to the film plane of the magnetoresistive film so that the direction of a current magnetic field in a medium-opposed end portion of the magnetoresistive film is in the first direction.