Patent ID: 6751071
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A thin film magnetic head comprising a lower shield layer comprising a soft magnetic film, a magnetoresistive element formed on the lower shield layer with a lower gap layer formed therebetween and made of a nonmagnetic material, an electrode layer electrically connected to the magnetoresistive element, an upper gap layer made of a nonmagnetic material and formed to cover the magnetoresistive element and the electrode layer, and an upper shield layer formed on the upper gap layer and opposed to the lower shield layer with the magnetoresistive element provided therebetween, wherein the upper shield layer comprises a Niâ€”Fe alloy underlying film formed on the upper gap layer, and a Niâ€”Fe alloy plating film formed on the underlying film by electroplating, and the magnetostriction distribution of the upper shield layer in the thickness direction ranges from âˆ’2Ã—10âˆ’6 to 5Ã—10âˆ’7.