Patent ID: 7136263
Filing Date: 2006-11-14
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A thin-film magnetic head comprising: a magnetoresistive film; a pair of magnetic domain control layers, disposed separately from each other on both sides of the magnetoresistive film in a track width direction, for applying a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive film; a pair of electrode layers, laminated on the respective magnetic domain control layers while being separated from each other on both sides of the magnetoresistive film in the track width direction, for supplying a current to the magnetoresistive film; first and second shield layers, disposed separately from each other in a laminating direction so as to hold the magnetic domain control layers and electrode layers therebetween, for shielding the magnetoresistive film; a first insulating layer disposed between the magnetoresistive film and a magnetic domain control layer of the pair of magnetic domain control layers and the first shield layer; and a second insulating layer disposed between the magnetoresistive film and an electrode layer of the pair of electrode layers and the second shield layer; wherein the shield layers have a distance therebetween shorter at a position where the electrode layer and the magnetic domain control layer are laminated than that at a position where the magnetoresistive film is located; and wherein, while a surface of the magnetic domain control layer on the first insulating layer side at the position where the electrode layer and the magnetic domain control layer are laminated is taken as a reference surface, a distance from the reference surface to a surface of the electrode layer on the second insulating layer side is set shorter than the distance from the reference surface to a surface of the magnetoresistive film on the second insulating layer side.