Patent ID: 7280321

Claim:
A magnetoresistive head of a type comprising a magnetoresistive film arranged between a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, a pair of electrodes to apply sensing current in a thickness direction of said magnetoresistive film, and electrodes for a detecting means to detect a change in resistance which said magnetoresistive film experiences as an external magnetic field changes, wherein the lower shield layer has a non-magnetic layer adjacent to it, an insulating film is arranged between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer, and the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer are formed such that their spacing at at least part of a boundary between the lower shield layer and the non-magnetic film, is larger than their spacing in a vicinity of the magnetoresistive film, and wherein the lower shield layer and the non-magnetic layer adjacent thereto are formed such that they differ in height and there exists a difference in height at their boundary.