Patent ID: 7005201

Claim:
A magnetic detecting element comprising: a multilayer laminate including a first antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic material layer, and a free magnetic layer deposited in that order from below; a nonmagnetic interlayer disposed above the free magnetic layer; a pair of first ferromagnetic layers disposed above the nonmagnetic interlayer in end portions in a track width direction of the magnetic detecting element, the first ferromagnetic layers being separated in the track width direction by a space therebetween; a pair of second antiferromagnetic layers separately disposed above the respective first ferromagnetic layers; a pair of second ferromagnetic layers separately disposed above the respective second antiferromagnetic layers; and electrode layers, wherein the pair of antiferromagnetic layers have an internal end portion starting at the space between the first ferromagnetic layers and extending outward in a track width direction, the internal end portion having a substantially constant thickness for a non-zero length prior to a gradual increase in thickness at an outer end portion of the second antiferromagnetic layer such that at least two distinct points on the same side of the space have the same thickness in the internal end portion, and wherein a magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layers is antiparallel to that of the first ferromagnetic layers.