Self-pinned CPP giant magnetoresistive head

摘要

A CPP giant magnetoresistive head 1 includes lower 10 and upper 50 shield layers, and a giant magnetoresistive 30 element disposed between the upper and lower shield layers and including a pinned magnetic layer 31, a free magnetic layer 33 and a nonmagnetic layer 32 disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer. In the CPP giant magnetoresistive head, the pinned magnetic layer extends to the rear of the nonmagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer in the height direction, and the dimension of the pinned magnetic layer in the height direction is larger than that in the track width direction. Also, the pinned magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant or a magnetic material having high coercive force, and the end of the pinned magnetic layer is exposed at a surface facing a recording medium. Shape anisotropy stabilizes the magnetisation in pinned magnetic layers or an antiferromagnetic layer in the rear of the GMR element is used for pinning.