Patent ID: 8125743

Claim:
A thin-film magnetic head having a magnetoresistive effect read head element, the magnetoresistive effect read head element comprising: a substrate; a lower shield layer above the substrate; an upper shield layer above the lower shield layer, relative to the substrate; a magnetoresistive effect layer formed between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer, said magnetoresistive effect layer having a pinning antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a magnetization free layer; a lower antiferromagnetic layer that is different from said pinning antiferromagnetic layer; and an upper antiferromagnetic layer formed at a back area and both side areas of the lower shield layer seen from an air bearing surface side and contacted with the upper shield layer only at an edge area of the upper shield layer to prevent a concentration of magnetic fluxes around and a leakage of magnetic fluxes from the edge area of the upper shield layer, wherein said lower antiferromagnetic layer is formed at a back area and both side areas of the lower shield layer seen from an air bearing surface side and contacted with the lower shield layer only at an edge area of the lower shield layer to prevent a concentration of magnetic fluxes around and a leakage of magnetic fluxes from the edge area of the lower shield layer, and the lower antiferromagnetic layer is laminated under the edge area of the lower shield layer.