Patent ID: 7894167
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: G11B,H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistive effect element comprising: a substrate having an element formation surface; a lower electrode layer formed on said element formation surface; a foundation layer formed on said lower electrode layer; a magneto-sensitive portion formed on said foundation layer, having a pinned layer including an antiferromagnetic film, a free layer, and a non-magnetic intermediate layer sandwiched between said pinned layer and said free layer; a cap layer formed on said magneto-sensitive portion and made of a material having an ion beam etching rate lower than that of a material of said free layer; an upper electrode layer formed on said cap layer; and a bias layer formed on both side surfaces of said magneto-sensitive portion in a track-width direction with an insulating layer being provided between each of said side surface and said bias layer, a multilayer which includes said foundation layer, said magneto-sensitive portion and said cap layer, having: upper side surfaces in the track-width direction forming an inclination angle θ said inclination angle θ a boundary between the upper side surface and the intermediate side surface where the inclination angle changes being located above a side surface of said magneto-sensitive portion in the track-width direction, and a boundary between the intermediate side surface and the lower side surface where the inclination angle changes being located below a side surface of said magneto-sensitive portion in the track-width direction.