Patent ID: 7362546
Filing Date: 2008-04-22
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A magnetic sensor comprising: a fixed magnetic layer, the fixed magnetic layer containing a laminate having a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer and a non-magnetic interlayer interposed therebetween; an air bearing surface (ABS); a free magnetic layer laminated to the fixed magnetic layer; a non-magnetic material layer interposed between the fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer; a non-magnetic metal layer composed of an X—Mn alloy, where X is at least one selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Ru, Os, Ni, and Fe; a lower surface of the first magnetic layer of the fixed magnetic layer, in entire contact with the non-magnetic metal layer, and the second magnetic layer formed in contact with the non-magnetic material layer wherein a crystal of the non-magnetic metal layer and at least a part of a crystal of the first magnetic layer are placed in one of an epitaxial state and a heteroepitaxial state, and the fixed magnetic layer has an open end surface at the ABS; the non-magnetic metal layer has a thickness of about 5 to 50 Å: at least one of the first and second magnetic layers comprise a plurality of sublayers, the plurality of sublayers including a bcc magnetic sublayer provided at a non-magnetic interlayer side and one of: when the first magnetic layer contains the plurality of sublayers, an fcc magnetic sublayer provided at a non-magnetic metal layer side, and when the second magnetic layer contains the plurality of sublayers, an fcc magnetic sublayer provided at a non-magnetic material layer side; and wherein the first magnetic layer of the fixed magnetic layer in the vicinity of an interface at a non-magnetic metal layer side has a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure in which equivalent crystal planes represented by a {111} plane are oriented in a direction parallel to the interface at the non-magnetic metal layer side, and the first magnetic layer of the fixed magnetic layer in the vicinity of an interface at a non-magnetic interlayer side has a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure in which equivalent crystal planes represented by a {110} plane are oriented in a direction parallel to the interface at the non-magnetic interlayer side; and wherein the second magnetic layer in the vicinity of an interface at a non-magnetic material layer side has a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure in which equivalent crystal planes represented by a {111} plane are oriented in a direction parallel to the interface at the non-magnetic material layer side, and the second magnetic layer in the vicinity of an interface at a non-magnetic interlayer side has a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure in which equivalent crystal planes represented by a {110} plane are oriented in a direction parallel to the interface at the non-magnetic interlayer side; and each of the first and second magnetic layers of the fixed magnetic aver comprises one of Co and Co wherein the non-magnetic metal layer has a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure at least in the vicinity of an interface at a first magnetic layer side of the fixed magnetic layer, in which equivalent crystal planes represented by a {111} plane are oriented in a direction parallel to the interface.