Thin film magnetic head

• US 6,400,537 B2
• Filed: 06/18/1998
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Irie, Yousuke, Kawawake, Yasuhiro, Sakakima, Hiroshi, Satomi, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): KLIMOWICZ, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US09/099,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 365/171, 365/173, 365/158, 360/113, 360/324.2, 360/322, 360/319, 338/32, 324/252
• US Class Current: 360/324.2
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/3996 large or giant magnetoresistive effects [GMR], e.g. as generated in spin-valve [SV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3903 using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures

Abstract

A thin film magnetic head includes an upper shield section, a lower shield section and a magnetoresistance device section between the upper shield section and the lower shield section. The magnetoresistance device section is connected to the upper shield section and the lower shield section through conductive layers. Current flows through the magnetoresistance device section via the upper shield and the lower shield.

Claims

1. A thin film magnetic head comprising:

a recording head section and a reproducing head section,

wherein the recording head section comprises an upper head core section and a lower head core section, and a recording gap between the upper head core section and the lower head core section,

wherein the reproducing head section comprises an upper shield section functioning as the lower head core section of the recording head section, a lower shield section and a magnetoresistance device section, the magnetoresistance device section being disposed in a shield gap between the upper shield section and the lower shield section,

wherein the magnetoresistance device section is electrically connected to the upper shield section and the lower shield section through conductive layers, and current flows through the magnetoresistance device section via the upper shield section and the lower shield section,

wherein the magnetoresistance device section comprises a multilayer structure exhibiting a giant magnetoresistance effect, the multilayer structure comprises a first magnetic film, a second magnetic film and a non-magnetic film formed between the first magnetic film and the second magnetic film, the non-magnetic film is formed of a tunnel giant magnetoresistance effect film,

wherein the current flows in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the multilayer structure,

wherein the second magnetic film is a soft magnetic film, and a magnetization easy axis of the soft magnetic film is substantially orthogonal to a magnetic field to be detected, and

wherein the multilayer structure further comprises a metal anti-ferromagnetic film, the first magnetic film being magnetically coupled to the metal anti-ferromagnetic film, and a magnetic easy axis of the first magnetic film substantially agrees with a direction of a magnetic field to be detected.

2. A thin film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer structure further comprises an interface magnetic film mainly composed of Co having a thickness of about 0.1 to 1 nm located at least one of interfaces between the non-magnetic film and the first magnetic film and between the non-magnetic film and the second magnetic film.

3. A thin film magnetic head according to claim 2, wherein the magnetoresistance device section comprises a plurality of multilayer structures.

4. A thin film magnetic head according to claim 3, wherein the magnetoresistance device section further comprises a non-magnetic film between the plurality of multilayer structures.

5. A thin film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the magnetoresistance device section comprises a plurality of multilayer structures.

6. A thin film magnetic head according to claim 5, wherein the magnetoresistance device section further comprises a non-magnetic film between the plurality of multilayer structures.

7. A thin film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the metal anti-ferromagnetic film is formed of any one of materials selected from NiMn, IrMn and PtMn.