Patent ID: 7312961

Claim:
A magnetic head comprising: a base; a magneto-resistive device having a magneto-resistive layer including an oxide layer, said magneto-resistive layer being formed on one surface side of said base; and a protection film and an underlying layer therefor which are formed on at least a part of a surface of said base on a side facing to a magnetic recording medium and on an end face of said magneto-resistive device on a side facing to the magnetic recording medium, wherein: an end face of said oxide layer on a side facing to the magnetic recording medium forms a part of said end face of said magneto-resistive device on the side facing to the magnetic recording medium, one or more layers are interposed between said underlying layer and said end face of said magneto-resistive device to cover at least said end face of said oxide layer; said underlying layer is made of a non-oxide material; and the layer of said one or more layers closest to said end face of said magneto-resistive device is made of an oxide of a metal or an oxide of a semiconductor.