Patent ID: 7023670

Claim:
A magnetic sensing element comprising a multilayer film comprising: a first antiferromagnetic layer; a pinned magnetic layer, a magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer being pinned by the first antiferromagnetic layer; a nonmagnetic material layer; a free magnetic layer, a magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer being varied by an external magnetic field, each of the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic material; and a ferromagnetic layer and a second antiferromagnetic layer disposed one of above and below at least a region corresponding to a track width of the free magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic layer therebetween, a magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic layer being oriented substantially perpendicular to the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer by an exchange coupling magnetic field between the ferromagnetic layer and the second antiferromagnetic layer, wherein the ferromagnetic layer has a laminated structure comprising a sublayer comprising one of NiFe and NiFeX, wherein X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Hf, Ta, W, Ir, and Pt, in contact with the nonmagnetic layer, and a sublayer comprising a Co-containing ferromagnetic material in contact with the second antiferromagnetic layer.