Patent ID: 7209327

Claim:
A magnetoresistive head comprising: a lower magnetic shield formed above a substrate; a magnetic domain control underlayer formed above the lower magnetic shield; a multi-layered film formed above the magnetic domain control underlayer, the multi-layered film comprising an underlayer, a free layer, a non-magnetic layer, a pinned layer, and an anti-ferromagnetic layer for pinning a magnetizing direction of the pinned layer; a magnetic domain control film formed above and being in contact with the magnetic domain control underlayer, said magnetic domain control film being in contact with both of lateral ends in the direction of the track width of the free layer, for conducting magnetic domain control of the free layer, the magnetic domain control underlayer configured to increase a coercive force of the magnetic domain control film; a pair of electrode films for supplying an electric current to the multi-layered film; and an upper magnetic shield formed above the multi-layered film and the electrode film.