Patent ID: 7656621
Filing Date: 2010-02-02
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B

Abstract:
1. A magneto-resistive element comprising: a first stacked film assembly having a pinned layer whose magnetization direction is fixed against an external magnetic field, a spacer layer that is made of a non-magnetic and conductive material, and a free layer whose magnetization is changed in accordance with the external magnetic field, said pinned layer, said spacer layer, and said free layer being arranged in this order adjacent to each other; a first layer which is arranged such that said first layer is in contact with said free layer on one side of said first layer; a first electrode layer which is arrange such that said first layer is in contact with said first electrode layer on an other side of said first layer, said first electrode layer being made of a ferromagnetic material; a second electrode layer which is arranged on a side that is opposite to said first electrode layer with regard to said first stacked film assembly; and hard magnetic layers which are disposed on both sides of at least said free layer in a plane parallel to an air bearing surface, wherein said first and second electrode layers are adapted to apply a sense current to said first stacked film assembly and said first layer in a direction that is perpendicular to layer surfaces, said first layer is made of gold, silver, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, chromium or platinum, or an alloy thereof, a boundary surface of said first electrode layer that faces said first layer is formed substantially to be flat, the sense current is adapted to flow from said second electrode layer to said first electrode layer, and said first electrode layer is magnetized in a direction that is substantially parallel to a magnetization direction of said free layer, said free layer being magnetized by said hard magnetic layers.