Recording/reproducing head and recording/reproducing apparatus incorporating the same

• US 6,982,932 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Birukawa, Masahiro, Yokoyama, Kazuo, Sakakima, Hiroshi, Hiramoto, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TAN X
• Application Number:
  US10/659,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20040047080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 369/13.17, 369/13.18, 369/13.19, 369/13.2, 369/13.21, 369/13.22, 369/13.13, 369/13.14, 360/321, 360/324.1, 360/324.11, 360/318, 360/318.1, 360/314, 360/315, 360/125, 360/126
• US Class Current: 369/13.17
• 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 13/04 magnetically or by magnetisation and optically or by radiation, for changing or sensing optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0002 Special dispositions or recording techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0005 Arrangements, methods or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0021 Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal
• 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 5/00 Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor G11B11/00 and G11B13/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00813 magnetic tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/012 Recording on, or reproducing or erasing from, magnetic disks G11B17/00, G11B19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/39 using magneto-resistive devices or effects
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3951 the active elements being arranged on several parallel planes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/48 Disposition or mounting of heads or head supports relative to record carriers mounting of head within housing G11B5/105; arrangements of heads, e.g. for scanning the record carrier to increase the relative speed driving of both record carriers and head G11B15/18; guiding record carriers G11B15/60; head selecting circuits G11B15/12
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/58 with provision for moving the head for the purpose of maintaining alignment of the head relative to the record carrier during transducing operation, e.g. to compensate for surface irregularities of the latter or for track following spacing means incorporated in the head structure G11B5/187, G11B5/255, G11B5/3106

Abstract

A magnetic head for reproducing a signal recorded on a recording medium, includes a substrate, a magnetic head core provided on the substrate, having a magnetic gap, and a magnetoresistance device provided on the magnetic head core. The magnetic head core is provided in such a manner that a thickness direction of the magnetic head core around the magnetic gap is substantially the same as a track width direction of the recording medium.

Claims

1. A recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:

a first magnetic head for recording a signal onto a recording medium; and

a second magnetic head for reproducing the signal recorded on the recording medium;

wherein;

the first magnetic head comprises;

a first substrate;

a first magnetic head core provided on the first substrate, having a first magnetic gap; and

a coil provided in such a manner that at least a portion of the first magnetic head core is surrounded by the coil,

wherein the first magnetic head core is provided in such a manner that a thickness direction of the first magnetic head core around the first magnetic gap is substantially the same as a track width direction of the recording medium; and

the second magnetic head comprises;

a second substrate;

a second magnetic head core provided on the second substrate, having a second magnetic gap; and

a first magnetoresistance device provided on the second magnetic head core,

wherein the first magnetoresistance device comprises;

an insulating layer provided on the second magnetic head core; and

a pinned layer provided on a side opposite to the second magnetic head core of the insulating layer, wherein a magnetization direction is not easily rotated in the pinned layer,

wherein the second magnetic head core comprises a soft magnetic layer provided at a position corresponding to the second insulating layer; and

the soft magnetic layer functions as a free layer of the first magnetoresistance device, wherein a magnetization direction is easily rotated in the free layer.

2. A recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are the same substrate.

3. A recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a second magnetoresistance device provided on the second magnetic head core.

4. A recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first magnetoresistance device and the second magnetoresistance device are provided symmetrically with respect to the second magnetic gap.

5. A recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second magnetic head corn is provided in such a manner that a thickness direction of the second magnetic head core around the second magnetic gap is substantially the same as a track width direction of the recording medium.