Magnetoresistance effect elements and magnetic heads using the tunneling magnetoresistive effect
US6278593A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 21, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 21, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49155
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The magnetoresistance effect element is of a multilayered structure having at least magnetic layers and an intermediate layer of an insulating material, a semicondutor or an antiferromagnetic material against the magnetic layers, and the magneto-resistance effect element has terminals formed at least on the opposite magnetic layers, respectively, so that a current flows in the intermediate layer. The film surfaces of all the magnetic layers constituting the magnetoresistance effect element are opposed substantially at right angles to the recording surface of a magnetic recording medium. Therefore, the area of the magnetic layers facing the recording surface of the magnetic recording medium can be extremely reduced, and thus the magnetic field from a very narrow region of the high-density recorded magnetic recording medium can be detected by the current which has a tunneling characteristic and passes through the intermediate layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.