Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole containing a ferromagnetic layer; a main magnetic pole-magnetization fixing portion containing an antiferromagnetic layer in contact with at least one side surface of the main magnetic pole; a heater for heating at least the main magnetic pole so that a magnetic interaction between the main magnetic pole and the main magnetic pole-magnetization fixing portion can be decreased; and a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field so as to direct a magnetization of the main magnetic pole in one direction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating a hard drive write signal are here in disclosed. A disclosed method comprises generating a hard drive write signal on an output of a switch based on an edge of the first control signal and reducing the hard drive write signal based on an edge of a second control signal via a second switch.

Abstract: A tape drive assembly (20) for the transmission of data relative to a magnetic storage tape (278) includes a tape head (260), a cartridge receiver (268) and a controller (44). The cartridge receiver (268) selectively receives a cartridge (54) having a lapping tape (478) that laps the tape head (260). The controller (44) dynamically adjusts one of (i) a tension of the lapping tape (478) relative to the tape head (260), (ii) an oscillation frequency of the tape head (260) relative to the lapping tape (478), and (iii) a lateral velocity of the lapping tape (478) relative to the tape head (260). The controller (44) can use an algorithm to adjust these conditions. The algorithm can be based on the pliability of the lapping tape (478), a curvature of the tape head (260) and/or the grit of the lapping tape (478).

Abstract: A system and method to avoid disk lube pooling is presented. A track access monitor tracks the number of times that a program accesses a particular track located on a hard drive. When the track access monitor determines that the number of track accesses to a particular track exceed a track access threshold, the track access monitor invokes a sequence of events to scan adjacent tracks in order to uniformly redistribute lubrication over the hard drive. In one embodiment, the track access monitor incrementally performs the adjacent track scanning during hard drive idle periods, such as when the system waits for a password from a user or when the operating system conserves power and idles the hard drive due to lack of activity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk drive apparatus includes a sensor to detect mechanical shocks to the disk drive apparatus and to provide a shock output signal representative of such mechanical shocks, a first filter coupled to the sensor to filter the shock output signal to pass signals having a first frequency component, a second filter to independently filter the shock output signal to provide signals having a second frequency component, a detector to inhibit write operations of the disk drive apparatus responsive to the shock output signal from the first filter, and a controller coupled to the second filter to compensate for low frequency mechanical disturbances during write operations to a track on the disk drive apparatus responsive to low frequency component.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk drive apparatus includes a disk having a plurality of tracks formed of approximately concentric patterns, a head slider reading and writing data from and to the disk, a motor driver configured to move the head slider to a target position on the disk, an electronic circuit configured to transfer the data to and from a host computer, and a power source configured to provide power to the electronic circuit based upon a position of the head slider.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk for storing information representing data, and a memory device. A method for writing includes locating a first data sector on a disk where a write operation fails, identifying the first data sector and a plurality of other data sectors near the first data sector as a grown defect, and storing the location of the first data sector and the plurality of other data sectors on a grown defect list. The memory device includes a list of grown defects that identifies a plurality of data sectors stored along a track between the first servo wedge and the second servo wedge on a selected track as data sectors which may not be written to.

Abstract: A hard disk drive that calculates an environmental condition, such as altitude, without a sensor. The disk drive includes a temperature sensor that senses a disk drive temperature and a humidity sensor that senses drive humidity. A controller of the disk drive determines whether a variation in a flying height of a head is due to a change in temperature and/or a change in humidity. If not, the controller calculates a change in altitude based on a difference between an estimated variation in flying height and the actual variation in flying height. The new calculated altitude can be used to vary disk drive operating parameters such as write parameters of the heads.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a head slider used for a magnetic storage device. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a head slider having an air bearing surface comprising, a heater element disposed at the air bearing surface, and at least one groove formed in an end surface at a trailing edge side of the head slider so as to extend toward a rear surface.

Abstract: A storage device has a head that floats over a rotating storage medium. The storage device includes a measuring unit that measures the operating time and a head slider having a head element. The head element includes a reading element, a writing element and a heater, and a control unit that controls a protruding amount of the head element, by issuing an instruction causing an amount of power of a first predetermined value to be supplied to the heater until the amount of time measured by the measuring unit becomes a predetermined value. When the amount of time exceeds the predetermined value, the control unit cause an amount of power of a second predetermined value that is lower than the first predetermined value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a disk-shaped recording medium, a drive section which rotates the recording medium, a head which records and reproduces information to and from the recording medium, a nonvolatile main memory which stores data in the recording medium, a memory mounting section in which a nonvolatile expansion memory is detachably mountable from outside, and a control section which reads data equivalent to a memory capacity of the expansion memory from the recording medium and writes the data to the expansion memory when the expansion memory is mounted in the memory mounting section.

Abstract: A servo pattern demodulating system for a storage apparatus includes a processing unit which calculates an outer product and an inner product of first and second vector information items read from a servo pattern recorded on a recording medium. The processing unit calculates a tangent value of an angular difference by a division between a value of the outer product and a value of the inner product, and converts a tangent value into track position information in conformity with an approximate formula and a difference table. In the difference table, each difference between the track position information corresponding to a tangent value and a value of the approximate formula is stored. The processing unit adds up the track position information based on the approximate formula and the difference, thereby to demodulate the position offset magnitude of the head.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic disk device and a method for production thereof, the magnetic disk device being characterized in that the magnetic disk therein permits a plurality of tracks thereon to record correction data when necessary without decreasing its storage capacity. According to one embodiment, the magnetic disk device is characterized in that the magnetic disk has the first tracks and the second tracks formed thereon, the first tracks having servo data regions arranged cyclically, with a portion of a region between them being the correction data region and the remaining regions being the user data region, and the second tracks having the servo data regions arranged cyclically, with the region between them being the user data regions, and the multiprocessing unit (MPU) switches the servo extraction timing of the position information sampler depending on whether the track for servo reproduction by the magnetic head is the first track or the second track.

Abstract: A method for servo correction includes determining a first wedge offset reduction field value for a read element from information in a servo burst area of a wedge on a disk, storing the first wedge offset reduction field value, determining a second wedge offset reduction field value for the read element from information in the servo burst area of the wedge on the disk, storing the second wedge offset reduction field value, and estimating an offset value of the read element from a desired track on the disk using at least one of the first wedge offset reduction value or second wedge offset reduction field value.

Abstract: A method for determining a position error signal in a disk drive includes writing a servo signal that has a variable offset from a track center for a plurality of concentric tracks in a servo wedge on a disk surface, forming a spiral servo track, observing the offset values for the servo signal in the servo wedges at a first of the plurality of tracks, and observing the offset values for the servo signal in the servo wedges at a second of the plurality of tracks. The method also includes determining the first error amounts from the offset values at the first of the plurality of tracks, and determining the second error amounts from the offset values at the second of the plurality of tracks. If the first error amounts and the second error amounts are equal, using one of the first or second error amounts as a correction update to a head non-linearity look-up table.

Abstract: A method of self servo-writing servo information to a plurality of disk surfaces in a disk drive that includes writing servo information to a plurality of disk surfaces in a first direction, writing servo information to a plurality of disk surfaces in a second direction, and determining an amount of overlap to be written on a reference surface with the reference head that will produce an overlap of servo information on each of the surfaces in the disk drive to which servo information is to be written. The method also includes switching to different tables when seeking across the overlap or border areas.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the duration of a pulse in a hard drive write system are disclosed. A disclosed method comprises generating a current pulse, reducing the current of the pulse and conveying a portion of the current pulse to a hard drive write system. In addition, a method is disclosed whereby a portion of the current pulse is truncated.

Abstract: The present invention, in particular embodiments, is directed to methods, apparatuses and systems that facilitate recording of servo signals on a recording medium such as magnetic tape with high accuracy. Variation of inter-frame and intra-frame placement is substantially reduced by writing successive frames or sub-frames based on a detection of a previously-written frame or sub-frame by a read element. Appropriate placement of the read element in relation to servo write elements, on a multi-gap servo write head, ensures the correct placement of subsequent frames on the recording medium.

Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, a magnetic device comprises a head for writing data into or reading data from a medium, the head having an actuator for changing a flying height of the head over the medium, a storage for storing characteristic information of areas of the medium and a controller for controlling the actuator on the basis of the characteristic information of the areas of the medium when writing data into or reading data from the areas of the medium.

Abstract: Magazine insertion is detected and suction of the magazine toward the deep end of a data library device casing is started. An identification code recorded on a recording medium cassette contained in the magazine is read at the timing when the cassette passes a read area of a read device arranged on the data library device case and stored in correspondence with the storage position. Operation is performed according to the storage when transferring the recording medium cassette between the magazine and a drive.

Abstract: An impact buffer having a high buffering effect includes two or more impact buffering members with different hardness, contacted with at least one surface of a side surface part of an HDD unit positioned orthogonally to the rotation surface of a magnetic disk of the HDD unit, supports the HDD unit, buffers an impact applied to the HDD unit by expansion and contraction, further moderates the rotation of the HDD unit in the direction causing a head arm to move onto the disk at rest, prevents the head detachment, and can overcome the weaknesses of the head arm and an inertial latch structure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for temperature compensation for hard disk drive writer overshoot current are disclosed. A disclosed system comprises creating a first delay based on the temperature of the hard disk drive, creating a second delay based on the temperature of the hard disk drive, and creating a pulse based on the first and second delay.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a disk drive during manufacture of the disk drive has a cell having a mounting arrangement to which a disk drive can be mounted and having walls defining a volume in which the disk drive is received when mounted to the mounting arrangement during manufacture of the disk drive. At least one wall of the cell adjacent said volume is heat conductive and is arranged such that a disk drive when received in the volume does not touch said at least one wall. An air-agitating device agitates air between the at least one wall and a disk drive when received in the volume to encourage heat transfer between said at least one wall and a disk drive when inserted into the volume. The air-agitating device is mounted so as to be vibrationally isolated from a said disk drive when mounted in the cell.

Abstract: A servo pattern recording device capable of improving the recording accuracy of a servo pattern. The servo pattern recording device is comprised of a magnetic head that records a servo pattern for tracking servo on a magnetic tape, a first motor that feeds the magnetic tape, a second motor that takes up the magnetic tape, and a main panel along a surface of which the magnetic tape is caused to move. The first motor and the second motor are mounted on the main panel, and the magnetic head is mounted on a first sub panel that is formed separately from the main panel and is connected to the main panel via a connecting member.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reading device, free from coil windings, includes a naturally magnetic material that defines a pair of opposite magnetic poles and defines a magnetic field. A conductor in operable association with an integrated circuit array provided at each of the magnetic poles controls direction and flow of current in the conductors.

Abstract: A pole layer has a track width defining portion and a wide portion. The pole layer has: first and second side surfaces located opposite to each other in a first region extending from a medium facing surface to a position at a distance of 10 to 300 nm from the medium facing surface; third and fourth side surfaces located in a second region other than the first region; a fifth side surface located at the boundary between the first and second regions and connecting the first and third side surfaces to each other; and a sixth side surface located at the boundary between the first and second regions and connecting the second and fourth side surfaces to each other. The distance between the first and second side surfaces taken in the track width direction decreases with decreasing distance from the top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer laminated on the main magnetic pole layer with a magnetic gap layer disposed in an opposing surface opposite a recording medium. Further included is a resist layer having a front end surface at a position retreated from the opposing surface opposite the recording medium to a deeper side in a height direction. The resist layer defines a throat height of the return yoke layer at the front end surface position. A Ti film is formed directly below the resist layer, forming at least a portion of the magnetic gap layer. The Ti film is a non-light transmitting film through which light cannot pass.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer and an auxiliary yoke layer that overlaps the main magnetic pole layer as viewed in a top view and is magnetically coupled to the main magnetic pole layer. The main magnetic pole layer includes a pole straight part exposed to an opposing surface opposite a recording medium, and a flared part that extends from the pole straight part in a height direction, the flared part broadening in a track width direction as the flared part extends in the height direction. The auxiliary yoke layer includes a flared part that extends from the recording medium-opposing surface, the flared part broadening in the track width direction as the flared part extends in the height direction. The flared part of the auxiliary yoke layer is disposed at a position located closer to the rear side in the height direction than the flared part of the main magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: A spindle motor can suppress the generation of noise during swinging and the extend service life, and also suppress the increase in current consumption. The outside diameter Do of a thrust hydrodynamic groove 3 is at least 10% of the outside diameter Dd of a disk-shaped medium 20, and the depth of the radial hydrodynamic groove is greater than the depth of the thrust hydrodynamic groove. By adjusting to specific numbers, the angular stiffness in the thrust bearing is raised, and even if a disturbance torque should be applied, wear or noise caused by metal contact inside the bearing can be suppressed.

Abstract: An integrated microactuator slider. The microactuator includes a substrate having a fixed portion and a moveable portion. The microactuator also includes a slider communicatively integrated within the moveable portion of the substrate. The slider includes a read/write head for reading data from or writing data to a data storage device. The microactuator further includes a force generator communicatively integrated within the substrate. The force generator is for causing movement of the moveable portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A flexure with improved temperature sensitivity is disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention includes a bi-layered flexure that raises or lowers a read/write element a distance that is approximately equal to the distance of protrusion and retraction at varying temperatures.

Abstract: A head slider which has a head part and which performs at least one of recording and reproducing by the head part in a state in which the head slider floats over a recording medium, which including: a first air bearing part which is disposed on an air inflow end side on a base surface; a second air bearing part which is disposed on an air outflow end side more than the first air bearing part on the base surface and which has the head part and has an area smaller than that of the first air bearing part; a pair of positive pressure generating parts which is disposed on both sides of a center axis of the head slider in the longitudinal direction closer to the air outflow end side than a step part formed of the first air bearing part and the base surface on the air inflow end side; a side rail parts which are disposed between the first air bearing part and one positive pressure generating part of the pair of positive pressure generating parts, and between the first air bearing part and the other positive pressure

Abstract: An airflow diverter is used to overcome the adverse effect of flow-induced vibration of a disk drive pivot actuator. The diverter may be formed as a separate component or as an integral portion of the flex stiffener or the actuator itself. The invention streamlines the actuator to the incoming airflow and helps reduce the torque disturbance to the actuator as it reduces the sail or parachute effect. This helps reduce power consumption due to a lower drag from the actuator assembly. The contour of the flow deflector is designed to conform closely to the curvature of the disk boundaries when the actuator is rotated to the ID position on the disk. This design serves as a shroud around the disk stack which further helps to reduce power by preserving flow momentum.

Abstract: A slider assembly for supporting a recording element in operative relation to a flexible moving recording medium is disclosed. The slider may have a face including air bearing surfaces positioned toward the recording medium. A recording element may be in an air bearing surface near the trailing edge of the face, wherein there is no other slider or other supporting surface on an opposite side of the recording medium. A vacuum cavity may be formed in the face for creation of sub-ambient pressure to attract the slider toward the recording medium. An air bearing surface may be provided with a transverse pressure contour (TPC) along at least one of its edges for providing flying height control, with the TPC having a step geometry. A mounting device may mount the slider in a biased manner toward the recording medium and urge the slider toward the recording medium.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive includes a base plate, a load beam, and a flexure. The flexure includes a metal base member and a circuit member disposed along the metal base member. The circuit member extends in a longitudinal direction of the load beam. The circuit member includes a resin base member formed of an electrically insulating resin and conductors. The conductors are formed into predetermined circuit patterns by etching a deposited copper layer deposited on the resin base member. Each conductor has a cross section in the shape of a trapezoid such that the width of a surface of the conductor which faces the resin base member is greater than that of a surface of the conductor on the side opposite from the resin base member.

Abstract: In a balanced head gimbal assembly for improved seeking performance, a slider having a magnetic head with a set of read elements to read data and a set of write elements to write data, an air-bearing surface, and a non-air-bearing surface is coupled to a suspension. The suspension includes a loadbeam, a flexure, and a balancing weight. The loadbeam is coupled to an actuator arm. The flexure, coupled to the loadbeam, has a window through which a dimple, coupled to the loadbeam, contacts a dimple contact point. The balancing weight, coupled to the flexure, has a configuration which permits alignment of a center of mass of the head gimbal assembly with the dimple contact point.

Abstract: Terminals of a flexible printed circuit board and terminals of a wiring trace in a head suspension assembly are to be connected with each other by soldering without causing a soldering defect. In an embodiment, a terminal structure of a multi-connector in a wiring trace which includes an insulating layer and a conductor pattern portion formed on a surface of the insulating layer is provided with exposed portions of terminals exposed from apertures formed in part of the insulating layer and is also provided with lining portions adjacent to the exposed portions in a longitudinal direction of the conductor pattern portion and bonded to the insulating layer. Even if terminals of the multi-connector are cracked when soldered, not only conductivity is ensured, but also it is possible to strengthen the terminals, because the lining portions of the terminals are bonded to the insulating layer.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a body having a first air bearing surface and defining an opening, and a transducer portion having a second air bearing surface and positioned within the opening and coupled to the body by a plurality of spring members extending from the transducer portion to the body.

Abstract: A magnetic head incorporates: a medium facing surface; a coil; a pole layer; first and second shields disposed to sandwich the pole layer therebetween; a first gap layer disposed between the first shield and the pole layer; a second gap layer disposed between the second shield and the pole layer; and a substrate. The first shield is located closer to the substrate than the second shield. The magnetic head further incorporates an antireflection film disposed between the first shield and the first gap layer or between the first gap layer and the pole layer. The pole layer is formed by frame plating.

Abstract: An AC power source is connected to a write coil mounted on a head slider for determination of contact of a head slider with a storage medium. The AC power source outputs the alternating current having a specific frequency. A measuring circuit measures a sequence of indices for the alternating current supplied to the write coil. A component corresponding to the specific frequency is extracted from the sequence of the indices. This serves to eliminate components corresponding to frequencies other than the specific frequency, namely noise. A detecting circuit detects contact between the head slider and the storage medium based on a change in the amplitude of the sequence appearing at the specific frequency. The contact can thus reliably be detected between the head slider and the storage medium.

Abstract: Provided is an MR effect element in which the magnetization of the pinned layer is stably fixed even after going through high temperature process. The MR effect element comprises: a non-magnetic intermediate layer; a pinned layer and a free layer stacked so as to sandwich the non-magnetic intermediate layer; an antiferromagnetic layer stacked to have a surface contact with the pinned layer, for fixing a magnetization of the pinned layer to a direction in-plane of the pinned layer and perpendicular to a track width direction; and hard bias layers provided on both sides in the track width direction of the free layer, for applying a bias field to the free layer, a product ?S×? of a saturation magnetostriction constant ?S of the pinned layer and an internal stress ? on a cross-section perpendicular to a layer surface of the hard bias layer being negative.

Abstract: The thin film magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer conducting a magnetic flux to the recording medium so that the recording medium an be magnetized in a direction orthogonal to a surface thereof; a return yoke layer disposed on a trailing side of the main magnetic pole layer; an intermediate protective layer partially disposed on a magnetic shield layer; and a thermal expansion suppressing layer having an edge located on the intermediate protective layer and being in contact with the return yoke layer in an area where the intermediate protective layer is not formed. If the thin film magnetic head is affected by ambient temperature environment, the thermal expansion suppressing layer suppresses the shift of the main magnetic pole layer and the return yoke layer toward the air bearing surface. This suppresses thermal protrusion from occurring on the thin film magnetic head due to ambient temperature environment.

Abstract: Provided is a thin-film magnetic head having an MR element in which the tolerance of external magnetic field is improved even under the condition that shields have smaller areas. The head comprises: an MR element comprising lower and upper shield layers provided so as to sandwich an MR multilayer, one edges of the layers reaching a head end surface on an ABS side; and an electromagnetic transducer comprising main and auxiliary magnetic pole layers, one edges of the layers reaching the head end surface, wherein at least one laminate shield layer for tolerating external magnetic field is provided adjacently on one side or on both sides in a track width direction of at least one layer out of the upper and lower shield layers and the auxiliary magnetic pole layer, and one edge of the at least one laminate shield layer reaching the head end surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to prevent a reduction in the bias magnetic field of a current perpendicular to the plane-type (CPP-type) magnetoresistive effect head, thus suppressing a reduction in read output. According to one embodiment, a CPP-type magnetoresistive effect film is formed on top of a lower magnetic shield. A refill insulation film and a magnetic domain control layer are formed on both sides of an intermediate layer and a free layer of the CPP-type magnetoresistive effect film. A side wall protection film is formed on a side wall of the refill insulation film and on top of the free layer so as to define the height of the magnetic domain control layer. To increase the film thickness of the magnetic domain control layer, the magnetic domain control layer and the refill insulation film are higher than the top surface of the free layer.

Abstract: A current perpendicular to plane magneto-resistance effect element includes: a magneto-resistance effect film comprised of a fixed magnetization layer, a free magnetization layer, and a complex spacer layer including an insulating layer and current paths formed through the insulating layer; a biasing mechanism for stabilizing the free magnetization layer; a shielding mechanism for ensuring a reproducing resolution of the magneto-resistance effect element; and a pair of electrodes for flowing a current perpendicular to a film surface of the magneto-resistance effect element; wherein a resistance area product (RA:?×?m2) is set to 0.00062×?{square root over ((GAP))}×TW+0.06 when a track width of the magneto-resistance effect element is defined as TW (nm) and a gap length of the magneto-resistance effect element is defined as GAP (nm).

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element includes: a first magnetic layer of which a first magnetization is fixed in one direction; a second magnetic layer of which a second magnetization is fixed in one direction; a spacer layer located between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and made of at least one selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride and a metal; and a current bias generating portion, which is located adjacent to the spacer layer, for applying a bias magnetic field to the spacer layer.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element includes a magneto-resistance effect film comprised of a free magnetization layer, a fixed magnetization layer and an intermediate layer disposed between the free magnetization layer and the fixed magnetization layer; a magnetic coupling layer which is disposed on one main surface of the fixed magnetization layer; a ferromagnetic layer which is disposed on one main surface of the magnetic coupling layer; an antiferromagnetic layer which is disposed on one main surface of the ferromagnetic layer; a magnetic domain controlling film for applying a biasing magnetic field to the free magnetization layer; and a pair of electrodes for flowing a current in the magneto-resistance effect film; wherein an asymmetry is set positive and an element resistance RA is set to 1.5 ??m2 or less in the direction from the free magnetization layer to the fixed magnetization layer.

Abstract: We describe a CPP MTJ MRAM element that utilizes transfer of spin angular momentum as a mechanism for changing the magnetic moment direction of a free layer. The device includes a tunneling barrier layer of MgO and a non-magnetic CPP layer of Cu or Cr and utilizes a novel synthetic free layer having three ferromagnetic layers mutually exchange coupled in pairwise configurations. The free layer comprises an inner ferromagnetic and two outer ferromagnetic layers, with the inner layer being ferromagnetically exchange coupled to one outer layer and anti-ferromagnetically exchange coupled to the other outer layer. The ferromagnetic coupling is very strong across an ultra-thin layer of Ta, Hf or Zr of thickness preferably less than 0.4 nm.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element, including: a first magnetization layer of which a magnetization is substantially fixed in one direction; a second magnetization layer of which a magnetization is rotated in accordance with an external magnetic field; an intermediate layer which contains insulating portions and magnetic metallic portions and which is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; and a pair of electrodes to flow current in a direction perpendicular to a film surface of a multilayered film made of the first magnetic layer, the intermediate layer and the second magnetic layer; wherein the magnetic metallic portions of the intermediate layer contain non-ferromagnetic metal.

Abstract: A magneto-resistance effect element, including: a fixed magnetization layer of which a magnetization is substantially fixed in one direction; a free magnetization layer of which a magnetization is rotated in accordance with an external magnetic field and which is formed opposite to the fixed magnetization layer; a spacer layer including a current confining layer with an insulating layer and a conductor to pass a current through the insulating layer in a thickness direction thereof and which is located between the fixed magnetization layer and the free magnetization layer; a thin film layer which is located in a side opposite to the spacer layer relative to the free magnetization layer; and a functional layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Mg, B, Al which is formed in or on at least one of the fixed magnetization layer, the free magnetization layer and the thin film layer.