公开(公告)号：US07558027B2

公开(公告)日：2009-07-07

申请号：US11411107

申请日：2006-04-26

申请人： Kei Hirata ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Kiyoshi Noguchi

发明人： Kei Hirata ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Kiyoshi Noguchi

IPC分类号： G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3912 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3929 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A magnetic field sensor comprises: a magnetic field detecting element that detects magnitude of an external magnetic field based on electric resistance of the magnetic field detecting element to sense current, the electric resistance being varied in accordance with the external magnetic field; an upper shield layer that is formed to cover the magnetic field detecting element; and a protective layer that is formed above the upper shield layer with respect to a direction of stacking. The upper shield layer includes a first portion at least part of which covers a top surface of the magnetic field detecting element, and a second portion that covers the first portion, and, the first portion has a larger absolute value of magnetostriction than the second portion.

摘要翻译： 磁场传感器包括：磁场检测元件，其基于磁场检测元件的电阻来检测外部磁场的大小以感测电流，电阻根据外部磁场而变化; 形成为覆盖所述磁场检测元件的上屏蔽层; 以及相对于堆叠方向形成在上屏蔽层上方的保护层。 上屏蔽层包括其至少一部分覆盖磁场检测元件的顶表面的第一部分和覆盖第一部分的第二部分，并且第一部分具有比第二部分更大的磁致伸缩绝对值 。

公开(公告)号：US20070109691A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-17

申请号：US11482090

申请日：2006-07-07

申请人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3932 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/1278 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A thin-film magnetic head comprises: a magnetoresistive element: first and second read shield layers disposed to sandwich the magnetoresistive element; and bias field applying layers for applying a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element. Each of the first and second read shield layers has: a first end face located in a medium facing surface; a second end face opposite to the first end face; a first width changing portion that continuously decreases in width as the distance from the first end face decreases; and a second width changing portion that continuously decreases in width as the distance from the second end face decreases.

摘要翻译： 薄膜磁头包括：磁阻元件：设置成夹着磁阻元件的第一和第二读屏蔽层; 以及用于向磁阻元件施加偏置磁场的偏置场施加层。 第一和第二读取屏蔽层中的每一个具有：位于介质面对表面中的第一端面; 与第一端面相对的第二端面; 第一宽度改变部分，随着距离第一端面的距离减小，其宽度连续减小; 以及随着与第二端面的距离的减小，宽度连续减小的第二宽度改变部分。

公开(公告)号：US20090273864A1

公开(公告)日：2009-11-05

申请号：US12005274

申请日：2007-12-27

申请人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Daisuke Miyauchi

发明人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Daisuke Miyauchi

IPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  B44C1/22

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： A magnetoresistive element includes a first and a second shield, and an MR stack disposed between the shields. The MR stack includes a first and a second ferromagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between the ferromagnetic layers. The first and second ferromagnetic layers have magnetizations that are in directions antiparallel to each other when no external magnetic field is applied to the layers, and that change directions in response to an external magnetic field. An insulating layer is formed to touch a rear end face of the MR stack and the first shield, and a bias magnetic field applying layer is formed above the insulating layer with a buffer layer disposed in between. The bias magnetic field applying layer includes a hard magnetic layer and a high saturation magnetization layer. The high saturation magnetization layer is located between the rear end face and the hard magnetic layer, but not located between the first shield and the hard magnetic layer.

摘要翻译： 磁阻元件包括第一和第二屏蔽以及设置在屏蔽之间的MR堆叠。 MR堆叠包括第一和第二铁磁层，以及设置在铁磁层之间的非磁性间隔层。 当没有外部磁场施加到层上时，第一和第二铁磁层具有在彼此反平行的方向上的磁化，并且响应于外部磁场改变方向。 形成绝缘层以接触MR堆叠和第一屏蔽的后端面，并且在绝缘层上形成有偏置磁场施加层，其间设置有缓冲层。 偏置磁场施加层包括硬磁性层和高饱和磁化层。 高饱和磁化层位于后端面和硬磁性层之间，但不位于第一屏蔽和硬磁性层之间。

公开(公告)号：US07583478B2

公开(公告)日：2009-09-01

申请号：US11482090

申请日：2006-07-07

申请人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/3932 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/1278 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A thin-film magnetic head comprises: a magnetoresistive element: first and second read shield layers disposed to sandwich the magnetoresistive element; and bias field applying layers for applying a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element. Each of the first and second read shield layers has: a first end face located in a medium facing surface; a second end face opposite to the first end face; a first width changing portion that continuously decreases in width as the distance from the first end face decreases; and a second width changing portion that continuously decreases in width as the distance from the second end face decreases.

摘要翻译： 薄膜磁头包括：磁阻元件：设置成夹着磁阻元件的第一和第二读屏蔽层; 以及用于向磁阻元件施加偏置磁场的偏置场施加层。 第一和第二读取屏蔽层中的每一个具有：位于介质面对表面中的第一端面; 与第一端面相对的第二端面; 第一宽度改变部分，随着距离第一端面的距离减小，其宽度连续减小; 以及随着与第二端面的距离的减小，宽度连续减小的第二宽度改变部分。

公开(公告)号：US07843668B2

公开(公告)日：2010-11-30

申请号：US12005274

申请日：2007-12-27

申请人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Daisuke Miyauchi

发明人： Takahiko Machita ,  Kei Hirata ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Daisuke Miyauchi

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G01R33/093 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  H01L43/12

摘要： A magnetoresistive element includes a first and a second shield, and an MR stack disposed between the shields. The MR stack includes a first and a second ferromagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between the ferromagnetic layers. The first and second ferromagnetic layers have magnetizations that are in directions antiparallel to each other when no external magnetic field is applied to the layers, and that change directions in response to an external magnetic field. An insulating layer is formed to touch a rear end face of the MR stack and the first shield, and a bias magnetic field applying layer is formed above the insulating layer with a buffer layer disposed in between. The bias magnetic field applying layer includes a hard magnetic layer and a high saturation magnetization layer. The high saturation magnetization layer is located between the rear end face and the hard magnetic layer, but not located between the first shield and the hard magnetic layer.

摘要翻译： 磁阻元件包括第一和第二屏蔽以及设置在屏蔽之间的MR堆叠。 MR堆叠包括第一和第二铁磁层，以及设置在铁磁层之间的非磁性间隔层。 当没有外部磁场施加到层上时，第一和第二铁磁层具有在彼此反平行的方向上的磁化，并且响应于外部磁场改变方向。 形成绝缘层以接触MR堆叠和第一屏蔽的后端面，并且在绝缘层上形成有偏置磁场施加层，其间设置有缓冲层。 偏置磁场施加层包括硬磁性层和高饱和磁化层。 高饱和磁化层位于后端面和硬磁性层之间，但不位于第一屏蔽和硬磁性层之间。

公开(公告)号：US20060262457A1

公开(公告)日：2006-11-23

申请号：US11411107

申请日：2006-04-26

申请人： Kei Hirata ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Kiyoshi Noguchi

发明人： Kei Hirata ,  Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Kiyoshi Noguchi

IPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3912 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  G11B5/3909 ,  G11B5/3929 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A magnetic field sensor comprises: a magnetic field detecting element that detects magnitude of an external magnetic field based on electric resistance of the magnetic field detecting element to sense current, the electric resistance being varied in accordance with the external magnetic field; an upper shield layer that is formed to cover the magnetic field detecting element; and a protective layer that is formed above the upper shield layer with respect to a direction of stacking. The upper shield layer includes a first portion at least part of which covers a top surface of the magnetic field detecting element, and a second portion that covers the first portion, and, the first portion has a larger absolute value of magnetostriction than the second portion.

公开(公告)号：US20100103562A1

公开(公告)日：2010-04-29

申请号：US12289401

申请日：2008-10-27

申请人： Takahiko Machita ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Takahiko Machita ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tsutomu Chou ,  Shinji Hara ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： G11B5/3909 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3912 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A magnetoresistive element includes a pair of shield portions, and an MR stack and a bias magnetic field applying layer that are disposed between the pair of shield portions. The shield portions respectively include single magnetic domain portions. The MR stack includes a pair of ferromagnetic layers magnetically coupled to the pair of single magnetic domain portions, and a spacer layer disposed between the pair of ferromagnetic layers. The MR stack has a front end face, a rear end face and two side surfaces. The magnetoresistive element further includes two flux guide layers disposed between the pair of single magnetic domain portions and respectively adjacent to the two side surfaces of the MR stack. Each of the two flux guide layers has a front end face and a rear end face. The bias magnetic field applying layer has a front end face that faces the rear end face of the MR stack and the respective rear end faces of the two flux guide layers.

摘要翻译： 磁阻元件包括一对屏蔽部分，以及设置在该对屏蔽部分之间的MR堆叠和偏置磁场施加层。 屏蔽部分别包括单个磁畴部分。 MR堆叠包括磁耦合到该对单个磁畴部分的一对铁磁层，以及设置在该对铁磁层之间的间隔层。 MR堆叠具有前端面，后端面和两个侧面。 磁阻元件还包括设置在一对单磁畴部分之间并且分别邻近MR堆叠的两个侧表面的两个磁通引导层。 两个磁通导向层中的每一个具有前端面和后端面。 偏置磁场施加层具有面向MR堆叠的后端面的前端面和两个导流层的各个后端面。

公开(公告)号：US20090190268A1

公开(公告)日：2009-07-30

申请号：US12019205

申请日：2008-01-24

申请人： Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Tsutomu Chou

发明人： Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Tsutomu Chou

IPC分类号： G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/127

CPC分类号： G11B5/3909 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G11B5/3932 ,  G11B2005/3996

摘要： A magnetoresistive device of a CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure includes a magnetoresistive unit sandwiched between a first substantially soft magnetic shield layer from below, and a second substantially soft magnetic shield layer from above, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction. The magnetoresistive unit includes a non-magnetic intermediate layer sandwiched between a first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer. At least one of the first and second shield layers is configured in a window frame of a planar shape, including a front frame-constituting portion and a back frame-constituting portion partially comprising a combination of a nonmagnetic gap layer with a bias magnetic field-applying layer. The combination of the nonmagnetic gap layer with the bias magnetic field-applying layer forms a closed magnetic path with magnetic flux going all the way around the window framework, turning the magnetization of the front frame-constituting portion into a single domain.

摘要翻译： CPP（电流垂直于平面）结构的磁阻器件包括夹在下面的第一基本上软磁屏蔽层和从上方的第二基本软磁屏蔽层之间的磁阻单元，其中沿堆叠方向施加感测电流。 磁阻单元包括夹在第一铁磁层和第二铁磁层之间的非磁性中间层。 第一屏蔽层和第二屏蔽层中的至少一个被配置在平面形状的窗框中，包括前框架构成部分和后框架构成部分，部分地包括具有偏磁场的非磁性间隙层的组合， 应用层。 非磁性间隙层与偏置磁场施加层的组合形成闭合的磁路，其中磁通量一直围绕窗框架，将前框架构成部分的磁化转变为单个畴。

公开(公告)号：US20090086383A1

公开(公告)日：2009-04-02

申请号：US11865384

申请日：2007-10-01

申请人： Shinji Hara ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Takahiko Machita

发明人： Shinji Hara ,  Daisuke Miyauchi ,  Koji Shimazawa ,  Yoshihiro Tsuchiya ,  Tomohito Mizuno ,  Takahiko Machita

IPC分类号： G11B5/33

CPC分类号： H01L43/08 ,  B82Y25/00 ,  G01R33/098 ,  G11B5/3906 ,  H01F10/3259 ,  H01F10/3272 ,  H01F41/307

摘要： The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device of the CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure (CPP-GMR device) comprising a spacer layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked together with said spacer layer sandwiched between them, with a sense current passed in the stacking direction, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer function such that the angle made between the directions of magnetizations of both layers change relatively depending on an external magnetic field, said spacer layer contains a semiconductor oxide layer, and a nitrogen element-interface protective layer is provided at a position where the semiconductor oxide layer forming the whole or a part of said spacer layer contacts an insulating layer. Thus, there is a nitride of high covalent bonding capability formed at the surface of junction between the semiconductor oxide layer and the interface protective layer, so that the migration of oxygen from the semiconductor oxide layer to the insulating layer is inhibited; even when the device undergoes heat and stress in the process, fluctuations and deteriorations of device characteristics are held back.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了包括间隔层的CPP（电流垂直于平面）结构（CPP-GMR器件）的巨磁阻效应器件，以及与夹在它们之间的间隔层堆叠在一起的第一铁磁层和第二铁磁层 ，其中感测电流在层叠方向上通过，其中第一铁磁层和第二铁磁层的功能使得两个磁体的磁化方向之间产生的角度根据外部磁场而相对地改变，所述间隔层包含半导体 氧化物层和氮元素界面保护层设置在形成全部或一部分所述间隔层的半导体氧化物层与绝缘层接触的位置。 因此，在半导体氧化物层和界面保护层的结的表面形成有高共价键合能力的氮化物，从而抑制氧从半导体氧化物层向绝缘层的迁移; 即使该装置在该过程中经受热和应力，阻止装置特性的波动和劣化。

公开(公告)号：US20050213261A1

公开(公告)日：2005-09-29

申请号：US11073385

申请日：2005-03-07

申请人： Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

发明人： Takahiko Machita ,  Koji Shimazawa

IPC分类号： G11B5/127 ,  G11B5/33 ,  G11B5/39

CPC分类号： B82Y10/00 ,  G11B5/3903

摘要： A read head comprises: a bottom shield layer; a top shield layer; an MR element disposed between the bottom shield layer and the top shield layer; a bottom shield gap film disposed between the bottom shield layer and the MR element; and a top shield gap film disposed between the top shield layer and the MR element. The MR element has a first end closer to the air bearing surface and a second end opposite to the first end. An adjacent layer made of a metal material is adjacent to the second end with an insulating film disposed in between. The material making up the adjacent layer has a linear thermal expansion coefficient whose absolute value is 6×10−6/° C. or smaller at a temperature of 30° C., and preferably 1×10−6/° C. or smaller.

摘要翻译： 读头包括：底屏蔽层; 顶层屏蔽层; 设置在所述底部屏蔽层和所述顶部屏蔽层之间的MR元件; 设置在所述底部屏蔽层和所述MR元件之间的底部屏蔽间隙膜; 以及设置在顶部屏蔽层和MR元件之间的顶部屏蔽间隙膜。 MR元件具有靠近空气轴承表面的第一端和与第一端相对的第二端。 由金属材料制成的相邻层与第二端相邻，其间设置有绝缘膜。 构成相邻层的材料的线性热膨胀系数在30℃的温度下绝对值为6×10 -6 /℃以下，优选为1×10 -6 /℃或更小。