JPH07210831A - Magneto-resistance effect magnetic head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve reproduced output and to enhance biasing effect by forming a groove part on a shielding magnetic material and providing either or both of the front end side and rear end side of an MR element with flux guides consisting of a high-permeability magnetic material. CONSTITUTION:The groove part 14 is formed on the shielding magnetic material 4 and either or both of the front end side (left side in Fig.) and rear end side (right side in Fig.) of the MR element are provided with the flux guides 11 consisting of the high-permeability magnetic material. As a result, the signal magnetic flux entering to the MR element is efficiently withdrawn to the rear side from the ABS surface 3 side. Bias magnetic field impressing members 9 are respectively disposed both on the groove part 14 disposed in the lower shielding magnetic material 4 and between the upper shielding magnetic material 5 and the MR element, by which the MR element is eventually efficientally biased. Further, the flux guides 11 are disposed forward of the rear end of the groove part 14, by which a bias magnetic path is formed and the bias efficiency is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetoresistive effect magnetic head suitable for reading information recorded on, for example, a hard disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a magnetoresistive effect type magnetic head (hereinafter referred to as MR head) using a thin film element such as permalloy having a magnetoresistive effect has been actively developed.

In such an MR head, the resistance of the thin film element made of permalloy changes due to the signal magnetic flux leaking from the magnetic recording medium, and the information recorded on the magnetic recording medium can be read by detecting the change in the resistance. Is configured.

Such an MR head is superior in short wavelength sensitivity to a general electromagnetic induction type magnetic head (hereinafter referred to as an inductive head), and therefore, in narrow track reproduction, short wavelength reproduction, and ultra-low speed reproduction. It is said that high sensitivity can be obtained.

As shown in FIG. 13, for example, the MR head has a magnetoresistive effect element 103 (hereinafter referred to as MR element 10) sandwiched by a pair of shield magnetic bodies 101 and 102.
Called 3. And a bias conductor 104 for applying a bias magnetic field to the MR element 103 is provided.
In general, the structure provided on the upper part 3 is used.

Hereinafter, the shield magnetic body 102 provided on the side facing the bias conductor 104 with the MR element 103 interposed therebetween is the upper shield magnetic body, and the shield magnetic body 101 provided on the side opposite to the bias conductor 104 is the lower shield magnetic body. Say.

If the bias conductor 104 is provided right above the MR element 103, the following inconvenience occurs.

First, there is instability due to the magnetic influence of the lower shield magnetic body 101 accompanying the narrowing of the gap. That is, since the facing distance between the MR element 103 and the lower shield magnetic body 101 is reduced due to the narrowing of the gap, the magnetic field generated from the bias conductor 104 and the MR element 1 are reduced.
The magnetic domain of the lower shield magnetic body 101 is disturbed by the sense current flowing from 03 to the shield magnetic bodies 101 and 102. Due to this influence, the anisotropy of the MR element 103 adjacent to the lower shield magnetic body 101 is disturbed, and as a result, Barkhausen noise easily occurs due to the movement of the domain wall. Further, when the facing distance between the MR element 103 and the lower shield magnetic body 101 becomes short, the insulation between them cannot be ensured, and the insulation failure easily occurs.

Secondly, the bias magnetic field entering the bent MR element 103 leaks to the lower shield magnetic body 101, resulting in non-uniformity of the bias magnetic field, resulting in reproduction waveform distortion and reduction in linear recording density. Leads to.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, the MR element 10 provided between the pair of shield magnetic bodies 105 and 106.
It has been proposed that a bias conductor 108 for applying a bias magnetic field to 7 is formed in a groove portion 109 in the lower shield magnetic body 108 and embedded in the groove portion 109.

By thus embedding the bias conductor 108 in the groove 109 formed in the lower shield magnetic body 105, the magnetic sensitive portion of the MR element 107 sandwiched between the front electrode 110 and the rear electrode 111 and the lower portion. Shield magnetic body 1
05, the bias magnetic field applied to the MR element 107 does not leak to the shield magnetic body 105. As a result, the bias distribution of the bias magnetic field applied to the MR element 107 becomes uniform, the linearity is improved, and the linear recording density is improved.

[0012]

However, when the groove portion 109 is formed in the lower shield magnetic body 105, the MR element 1
The magnetic resistance of 07 increases, and the MR element 107 is substantially
The magnetic flux that enters is reduced. Further, since the MR element 107 has a smaller film thickness and lower magnetic permeability than the shield magnetic bodies 105 and 106, it is difficult to allow the signal magnetic flux to enter the rear end portion of the MR element 107.

FIG. 15 shows the distribution of the signal magnetic field entering the MR element 107 with and without the groove 109. In the figure, the waveform A indicates that there is no groove, and the waveform B indicates that there is a groove. With the groove, the leakage of the magnetic flux is less than that without the groove, but the absolute amount of the signal entering from the reproducing gap is small. Such a decrease in the signal magnetic field due to the magnetic resistance directly leads to a decrease in the reproduction output, which hinders the improvement of the linear recording density.

Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned technical problems of the related art, and ensures insulation even when the gap is narrowed, increases the signal magnetic flux, and reproduces the output. Another object of the present invention is to provide an MR head that improves the bias efficiency.

[0015]

In the MR head according to the present invention, the MR element is arranged such that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the contact surface with the magnetic recording medium, and the MR element is provided on the front end side and the rear end side. This is a so-called vertical shield structure in which electrodes are laminated and the electrodes and the MR element are sandwiched by a pair of shield magnetic bodies.

In this MR head, in order to prevent the signal magnetic flux that has entered the MR element from falling into the lower shield magnetic body, a groove is formed in one of the pair of shield magnetic bodies. The groove may be formed in either the upper shield magnetic body or the lower shield magnetic body provided above and below the MR element, but it is preferable to form the groove portion in the lower shield magnetic body having a narrow facing distance to the MR element.

If the groove portion is simply formed, the magnetic resistance of the MR element in the groove portion increases and the signal magnetic flux cannot be drawn to the rear portion of the MR element.
A flux guide made of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability is provided on the rear end side of the R element to enhance the efficiency of drawing the signal magnetic flux.

In addition, by arranging a bias magnetic field applying member for applying a bias magnetic field to the MR element between the MR element and the shield magnetic body in which the groove portion or the groove portion formed in the shield magnetic body is not formed, The M
It prevents most of the signal magnetic flux flowing into the R element from leaking to the adjacent shield magnetic body.

The bias magnetic field applying member may be disposed only in the groove portion formed in the lower shield magnetic body on the side opposite to the side where the electrodes are formed with the MR element sandwiched therebetween, or the upper shield magnetic body and the MR element. It may be arranged only between the elements. Considering increasing the bias efficiency, it is desirable to dispose the bias magnetic field applying member between the groove portion of the lower shield magnetic body, the upper shield magnetic body and the MR element.

Further, the flux guide is provided so that the tip end of the groove is formed in front of the rear end of the groove formed in the shield magnetic body in consideration of the bias efficiency. Is desirable. That is, the flux guide is provided before the rear end of the groove. For example, M
The R element is provided up to a position approximately in the center of the magnetic sensitive portion.

Further, the flux guide may be directly laminated on the rear end side of the MR element, but may be formed as follows. That is, the flux guide may be directly laminated on the MR element, an electrode may be provided thereon, and the electrode may be electrically connected to the MR element through a through hole formed in the flux guide.

[0022]

In the present invention, the magnetic resistance of the MR element is increased and it is difficult for the signal magnetic flux entering the MR element to reach the rear portion by simply forming the groove portion in the shield magnetic body. Since a flux guide made of a high-permeability material is provided on the front end side and / or the rear end side of the MR element, the signal magnetic flux entering the MR element is efficiently transferred from the ABS surface side to the rear side by this flux guide. Will be drawn in.

Further, by arranging the bias magnetic field applying members respectively in the groove portion provided in the lower shield magnetic body and between the upper shield magnetic body and the MR element, the bias to the MR element can be applied more efficiently. .

Further, by providing the flux guide in front of the rear end of the groove, a bias magnetic path is formed and the bias efficiency is improved.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Specific embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In this example,
This is an example applied to a composite magnetic head (composite MR head and inductive head) mounted in a hard disk drive used in a computer or the like.

The composite magnetic head 1 uses an MR head as a read-only magnetic head as shown in FIG.
An inductive head is used as a write-only magnetic head, and normally one side surface 2a of the slider 2 is used.
In addition, after the MR head is formed by the vacuum thin film forming technique, the inductive head is laminated on the MR head.

The reproducing magnetic gap and the recording magnetic gap of the MR head and the inductive head both face the air bearing surface (hereinafter referred to as ABS 3) which is the surface 3 facing the hard disk. It has become.

As shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the MR head has a pair of shield magnetic bodies 4, 5 formed on one side surface 2a of the slider 2, and these shield magnetic bodies 4, 5.
An MR element 8 having a front end electrode 6 and a rear end electrode 7 laminated in between, and a bias magnetic field applying member 9 for applying a bias magnetic field to the MR element 8 are configured.

Hereinafter, the shield magnetic body 4 formed in the lower layer will be referred to as the lower shield magnetic body 4, and the shield magnetic body 5 formed in the upper layer will be referred to as the upper shield magnetic body 5.

The MR element 8 is formed, for example, in a substantially rectangular pattern in plan view, and is provided so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the ABS surface 3. Also, this M
One side edge of the R element 8 on the leading end side faces the ABS surface 3.

The MR element 8 is made of, for example, a ferromagnetic thin film such as permalloy, and is formed by vacuum thin film forming means such as vapor deposition or sputtering on the insulating film 10 functioning as a gap film provided on the lower shield magnetic body 4. Has been formed. As the ferromagnetic material used for the MR element 8, for example, a material having a resistance change rate Δρ / ρ of 0.1% or more is preferably used.

The MR element 8 is an M made of permalloy.
The R thin film may be a single layer film, but a pair of MR thin films magnetostatically coupled may be laminated via a non-magnetic insulating layer made of, for example, SiO ₂ . With the laminated film structure, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of Barkhausen noise.

When the MR element 8 is a single layer film,
It is desirable that the film thickness is about 10 nm to 100 nm. The length of the MR element 8 is preferably about 1 μm to 10 μm.

Since the insulating film 10 provided between the MR element 8 and the lower shield magnetic body 4 functions as a lower gap film of the reproducing magnetic gap g, Al ₂ which can sufficiently secure insulation between them. O ₃ or SiO or SiO ₂
And the like.

The tip electrode 6 is directly laminated on the tip of the MR element 8 with one side edge thereof facing the ABS 3 and is electrically connected to the MR element 8.
The tip electrode 6 has a function as an electrode for supplying a sense current to the MR element 8 and also has a reproducing magnetic gap g.
It also functions as an upper gap film.
Therefore, the tip electrode 6 has Ta, Ti, W, Cr,
It is desirable to use a non-magnetic metal material such as Cu.
The thickness of the tip electrode 6 is naturally determined by the gap length of the reproducing magnetic gap g.

On the other hand, the rear end electrode 7 is laminated on the rear end of the MR element 8 via a flux guide 11 for the purpose of improving the attraction of the signal magnetic flux. Since the rear end electrode 7 does not function as a gap film unlike the front end electrode 6, its film thickness is made thicker than that of the front end electrode 6 and can sufficiently function as an electrode.
It is considered as a degree. As the material used for the rear end electrode 7, a non-magnetic metal material such as Ta, Ti, W, Cr, Cu is used as in the front end electrode 6.

The flux guide 11 provided below the rear end electrode 7 has an M-layer structure with a base film 12 made of, for example, Ta interposed therebetween.
It is laminated on the rear end of the R element 8. The flux guide 11 is provided to enhance the effect of attracting the signal magnetic flux entering the MR element 8, and is formed as a film made of a soft magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability.

For example, the flux guide 11 includes
Permalloy, sendust, F with magnetic permeability μ of 1000 or more
A soft magnetic material such as an e-Co-based amorphous material is suitable. To form the flux guide 11, any vacuum thin film forming means such as a sputtering method, a vapor deposition method or a plating method can be applied.

The film thickness of the flux guide 11 is M
In order to efficiently draw the signal magnetic flux entering the R element 8 to the rear end portion of the MR element 8, it is desirable to set it to about 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm. More preferably, it is about 0.3 μm.

The rear end electrode 7 provided on the flux guide 11 is electrically connected to the MR element 8 through the through hole 13 formed in the flux guide 11.

In this embodiment, the MR element 8 has a film thickness of 60 nm, and the base film 12 made of Ta has a film thickness of 100 n.
m, and the film thickness of the flux guide 11 was 300 nm.

The bias magnetic field applying member 9 is for applying a bias magnetic field to the MR element 8, and is the tip electrode 6.
Between the rear end electrode 7 and the rear end electrode 7, and is disposed in the groove portion 14 formed in the lower shield magnetic body 4 on the side opposite to the side where the electrodes 6 and 7 are provided with the MR element 8 interposed therebetween. It is provided in the form of being embedded by.

The bias magnetic field applying member 9 has the above M
It serves to apply a bias magnetic field over the longitudinal direction of the MR element 8 which is a direction perpendicular to the R element 8. The bias magnetic field applying member 9 may be, for example, a conductive conductor or a hard film (a permanent magnet having a high coercive force and a high saturation magnetic flux density). When the bias magnetic field applying member 9 is a conductor, a bias current from a DC power source is applied to both terminals of the conductor pattern in the track width direction which is the longitudinal direction of the wiring pattern.

When the bias magnetic field applying member 9 is a conductor, the bias magnetic field applying member 9 is made of a material having excellent conductivity such as Cu and has a film thickness of about 0.1 μm to 0.3 μm. Further, Ti may be formed above and below Cu in consideration of the adhesion to the insulating films 10 and 15.

The pair of shield magnetic bodies 4 and 5 provided so as to sandwich the MR element 8 from above and below function as a shield that is not affected by the magnetic field from the medium located away from the MR element 8. And is formed of, for example, permalloy or sendust. The film thickness of these shield magnetic bodies 4 and 5 is preferably, for example, about 0.5 μm to 5 μm in order to prevent the signal magnetic field from entering the reproducing magnetic gap g from a track other than the reproducing track.

The lower shield magnetic body 4 of the shield magnetic bodies 4 and 5 extends in a direction perpendicular to the ABS surface 3 so that one side edge of the shield magnetic body 4 faces the ABS surface 3. Is provided. In particular, this lower shield magnetic body 4 has a groove portion 14 for embedding the above bias magnetic field applying member 9 with an insulating film 15 at a position corresponding to a region sandwiched by the front electrode 6 and the rear electrode 7. .

The groove portion 14 has a bottom surface 14a parallel to the bias magnetic field applying member 9 and inclined surfaces 14b, 14 formed on both sides of the bottom surface 14a so as to widen the opening width of the groove.
As a groove having a substantially U-shaped cross section, the groove is formed in the short side direction (track width direction) of the lower shield magnetic body 4.

Of the inclined surfaces 14b and 14c, the ABS
The groove tip portion D ₁ of the inclined surface 14b provided on the surface 3 side which is close to the MR element 8 is located at substantially the same position as the rear end portion (the depth zero position of the reproducing magnetic gap g) E _{1 of the} tip electrode 6. ing. On the other hand, the MR element 8 of the other inclined surface 14c
Groove rear end D ₂ adjacent to is the rear with respect to the distal end portion E ₂ of the flux guide 11.

When viewed in reverse, the flux guide 1
The tip end portion E _{2 of} No. 1 is provided closer to the ABS surface 3 with respect to the groove rear end portion D ₂ of the inclined surface 14c. That is, if the flux guide 11 is provided closer to the ABS surface 3 than the groove rear end portion D ₂ of the groove portion 14, it becomes a bias magnetic path, and the MR element 8 is more easily biased.

On the other hand, like the lower shield magnetic body 4, the upper shield magnetic body 5 provided so as to face the upper shield magnetic body 5 has its one side edge facing the ABS surface 3.
It is provided so as to extend perpendicularly to the BS surface 3 toward the back side. Further, the upper shield magnetic body 5 has an ABS surface 3
Is laminated directly on the tip electrode 6 on the side, and is laminated on the rear side via the insulating layer 16.

The insulating layers 15 and 16 are made of Al similarly to the insulating film 10 functioning as the lower gap film.
_{It is made of an} insulating material such as ₂ O ₃ , SiO, or SiO ₂ .

In the MR head constructed as described above, when a bias magnetic field is applied to the MR element 8, the bias shown by the waveform A in FIG. 3 is not applied and the bias shown by the waveform B is applied. , And the signal magnetic field can be operated at a point of good linearity (45 °).

Here, several sample heads are actually used.
When it is manufactured, and the bias efficiency of that head and the head are made
I measured the playback output value of. The results are shown in Table 1.
The sample head is the flux guide shown in FIG.
11 is the groove rear end D of the groove 14. ₂Installed closer to ABS side 3
Girder (Experimental Example 1), flux guide 1 shown in FIG.
1 front end and groove 14 rear end D₂Match
(Experimental example 2), the flux guide 11 shown in FIG. 6 is provided.
There was nothing (Experimental Example 3).

[0054]

[Table 1]

In the head of Experimental Example 1, the MR element 8 itself acts as a magnetic path, but in Experimental Example 2, the action is weakened and the magnetic field is easily absorbed by the shield magnetic body 4, so that the bias efficiency is lowered. On the other hand, Experimental Example 3 without the flux guide 11
The head had almost no bias. Regarding reproduction output, the flux guide 11 is A
The closer to the BS surface 3 side, the easier the signal to enter and the larger the output.

Considering the above experimental results as well, in the MR head of this embodiment, the magnetic resistance of the MR element 8 becomes small, and most of the signal magnetic flux from the medium flowing into the tip of the MR element is shielded by both shield magnets. M without leaking to body 4, 5
A high output can be obtained by being pulled in to the rear end of the R element 8 and effectively acting over the entire MR magnetic sensing section.

The inductive head has the same structure as a general thin film magnetic head, and has a pair of thin film magnetic cores made of a soft magnetic material such as permalloy, and these thin film magnetic cores are laminated at a predetermined interval. As well as
A conductor coil is spirally formed between these thin film magnetic cores with an insulating film interposed therebetween. This inductive head is laminated on the MR head via an insulating layer.

The specific embodiments to which the present invention is applied have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, although the flux guide 11 is provided at the rear end portion of the MR element 8 in the above-described embodiment, it may be provided at the front end side or may be provided at both the front end side and the rear end side. The effect of is obtained.

When the flux guide 11 is provided on the tip side, the flux guide 11 is directly laminated on the MR element 8 and the tip electrode 6 is provided on the flux guide 11, as is the case with the rear end side. 6 is electrically connected to the MR element 8 through the through hole of the flux guide 11.

In addition, the flux guide 11 and the rear end electrode
Even if the relationship with 7 is shown in FIG. 7, the same effect is obtained.
be able to. That is, the tip of the flux guide 11
Part E ₂So that the groove is located approximately in the center of the groove portion 14.
The x-guide 11 is provided on the rear end side of the MR element 8. That
Of the rear end electrode 7 to the rear end of the flux guide 11.
The rear end electrode 7 is formed by partially laminating the MR element.
8 is formed on the rear end portion.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the bias magnetic field applying member 9 is not arranged in the groove portion 14 of the lower shield magnetic body 4, but the upper shield magnetic body 5 and the MR element on the side where the electrodes 6 and 7 are provided. Similar effects can be obtained even if they are arranged only between 8 units. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the groove portion 14 of the lower shield magnetic body 4, the upper shield magnetic body 5 and the M
A bias magnetic field applying member 9 may be provided on both sides of the R element 8. When the bias magnetic field applying members 9 are provided on both sides, the bias efficiency is further improved as compared with the MR head in which the bias magnetic field applying members 9 are provided on only one side.

Here, the MR having the structure shown in FIGS.
In the head, the bias efficiency and reproduction output are improved,
Regarding the reduction of Barkhausen noise,
It is supported by the following experimental results.

FIG. 10 shows the magnetic field strength applied to the MR element determined according to the position of the MR element in the head element. Waveform C is the MR of the structure of the present invention shown in FIGS.
The magnetic field strength distribution of the head is shown, and the waveform D shows the magnetic field strength distribution of the MR head having the conventional structure shown in FIG.

As is apparent from FIG. 10, in the MR head according to the structure of the present invention, a substantially constant magnetic field strength is applied to the MR element from the ABS surface to the rear of the MR element. It can be seen that the magnetic field strength is high only in the case where the magnetic field strength is high and the magnetic field strength drops sharply after the point where the depth zero position is exceeded. Therefore, with the structure of the present invention, the signal magnetic field can be drawn to the rear end of the MR element.

In FIG. 11, the gap between the shield magnetic body and the MR element is 0.2 μm, and the track width is 3 μm.
Of the present invention structure and the conventional structure of the MR head D7
The obtained recording density at 0 is shown.

As can be seen from these results, the MR head having the structure of the present invention has improved output and linear recording density as compared with the MR head having the conventional structure. That is,
With the structure of the present invention, the reproduction output can be increased.

FIG. 12 shows the reproduction output waveform of the MR head having the structure of the present invention [FIG. 12 (a)] and the reproduction output waveform of the MR head having the conventional structure [FIG. 12 (b)]. 12
In FIG. 12B, the waveform distortion caused by Barkhausen noise remarkably appears in the portion indicated by G, but in FIG. 12A, it is found that the waveform distortion does not occur. Therefore, with the structure of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the generation of Barkhausen noise.

Further, Table 2 shows the results of measuring the insulation resistance between the MR element and the bias conductor of the MR head of the present invention and the MR head of the conventional structure.

[0069]

[Table 2]

As is clear from Table 2, the MR head adopting the structure of the present invention has a higher insulation resistance and a higher insulation resistance than the MR head having the conventional structure.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the groove portion 14 is formed in the lower shield magnetic body 4 and the bias magnetic field applying member 9 is arranged in the groove portion 14. However, the MR element 8 is connected to the shield magnetic bodies 4 and 5. For the purpose of avoiding leakage of the magnetic field, a similar effect can be obtained by forming a groove in the upper shield magnetic body 5 and providing the bias magnetic field applying member 9 in the groove.

[0072]

As is apparent from the above description, in the MR head of the present invention, a groove portion is formed in the shield magnetic body, and the MR element has a high magnetic permeability on the front end side and / or the rear end side. Since the flux guide made of a material is provided, the signal magnetic field entering the MR element can be drawn to the rear side from the ABS side by this flux guide, and as a result, the signal magnetic flux is increased and the reproduction output is improved, and the bias is increased. The efficiency can be increased.

Further, in the MR head of the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently secure the insulation resistance between the MR element and the shield magnetic body in spite of the narrowing of the gap, and to improve the electromagnetic conversion characteristics and Barkhausen noise. MR without occurrence
A head can be provided. As a result, it is possible to cope with the miniaturization and high capacity of the hard disk drive device accompanied by the high performance of computers and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a composite type magnetic head mounted in a hard disk drive.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of an MR head.

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a bias magnetic field and a reproduction waveform.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which a flux guide of the sample head used in the experiment is provided in front of the groove rear end portion of the groove portion.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which a flux guide of the sample head used in the experiment is provided at the same position as the groove rear end portion of the groove portion.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a sample head used for an experiment in which a flux guide is not provided.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another configuration example of the flux guide and the rear end electrode laminated on the rear end of the MR element.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of an MR head showing an example in which a bias magnetic field applying member is provided only between an upper shield magnetic body and an MR element.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an MR head showing an example in which a bias magnetic field applying member is provided between the groove portion of the lower shield magnetic body and the upper shield magnetic body and the MR element.

FIG. 10 is a characteristic diagram showing a magnetic field strength distribution applied to an MR element.

FIG. 11 is a characteristic diagram showing recording density characteristics of the MR head having the structure of the present invention and the MR head having the conventional structure.

12A is a characteristic diagram showing a reproduction output waveform in an MR head having a structure according to the present invention, and FIG. 12B is a characteristic diagram showing a reproduction output waveform in an MR head having a conventional structure.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an MR head having a conventional structure in which a bias conductor is provided between an upper shield magnetic body and an MR element.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional view of an MR head having a conventional structure in which a bias conductor is provided in a groove formed in a lower shield magnetic body.

FIG. 15 is a characteristic diagram showing the amount of change in the signal magnetic field with and without a groove in the shield magnetic body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Composite magnetic head 2 Slider 3 ABS surface 4 Lower shield magnetic body 5 Upper shield magnetic body 6 Front electrode 7 Rear end electrode 8 MR element 9 Bias magnetic field applying member 11 Flux guide 14 Groove part

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Nobuhiro Sugawara 6-735 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Akio Takada 6-735 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation Shares Company (72) Inventor Mikiya Kurosu 6-735 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A magnetoresistive effect element arranged such that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to a contact surface with a magnetic recording medium, and a magnetoresistive effect element facing the contact surface with the magnetic recording medium. A tip electrode laminated on the tip side, a rear end electrode laminated on the rear end side of the magnetoresistive effect element, and a magnetoresistive effect element in which the tip electrode and the rear end electrode are laminated are sandwiched from the film thickness direction, A pair of shield magnetic bodies provided with a groove in either one of them, a bias magnetic field applying member for applying a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive effect element, and a front end side and a rear end side of the magnetoresistive effect element or one of them. A magnetoresistive effect magnetic head comprising: a flux guide made of a magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability. 2. The magnetoresistive effect type magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein a bias magnetic field applying member is disposed in the groove portion of the shield magnetic body. 3. A groove portion is formed only in a shield magnetic body provided on the side opposite to the side where an electrode is formed with the magnetoresistive effect element interposed therebetween, and a bias magnetic field applying member is arranged in this groove portion. The magnetoresistive effect type magnetic head according to claim 1. 4. A groove portion is formed only on a shield magnetic body provided on a side opposite to a side where an electrode is formed with a magnetoresistive effect element sandwiched between the shield magnetic body and the magnetoresistive effect element. 2. A magnetoresistive effect type magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein a bias magnetic field applying member is disposed therebetween. 5. A groove portion is formed only on a shield magnetic body provided on the side opposite to the side on which an electrode is formed with a magnetoresistive element interposed therebetween, and this groove portion and a shield magnetic body not formed with the groove portion and a magnetic resistance. 2. The magnetoresistive effect type magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein bias magnetic field applying members are respectively arranged between the effect elements. 6. The flux guide according to claim 1, wherein the front end of the flux guide is provided closer to the contact surface with the magnetic recording medium than the rear end of the groove provided in the shield magnetic body.
2. A magnetoresistive effect type magnetic head described in 2, 3, 4 or 5. 7. The flux guide is directly laminated on the MR element, an electrode is provided on the flux guide, and the electrode is electrically connected to the MR element through a through hole formed in the flux guide. 7. The magnetoresistive effect magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein: