Patent ID: 6433969
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A compound magnetoresistive effect head, comprising:a dedicated playback head, including opposing first and second magnetic shield films, a magnetoresistive effect element provided between said first and second magnetic shield films and through a first magnetic separation layer and second magnetic separation layer, each provided between said first magnetic shield film and said magnetoresistive effect element and between said second magnetic shield film and said magnetoresistive effect element, respectively; and a recording head configured so as to use one of the two opposing magnetic shield films as a first magnetic pole film, and, on a surface of said first magnetic pole film opposite to said magnetoresistive effect element, a coil sandwiched by insulators and a second magnetic pole film, these being laminated thereon, in parallel with said first magnetic pole film, recording being performed by a magnetic field generated in a magnetic gap provided between said first and second magnetic pole films, wherein in said compound magnetoresistive effect head, a ferromagnetic film for stabilizing magnetization of said magnetoresistive effect film and an electrode film causing a current to flow in a magnetoresistive effect film area arranged at both ends of said magnetoresistive effect film, so as to be magnetically and electrically connected thereto, wherein a flattening film is provided between said first and second magnetic separation films in a direction of a height of said magnetoresistive effect element of said playback head, and wherein a step at a joint portion formed between said flattening film and said magnetoresistive effect element is set at 30 nm or smaller.