MAGNETIC SENSOR AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

摘要

Disclosed is a magnetic sensor which does not exhibit differences in sensitivity caused by differences in sensitivity axes, and also disclosed is a method with which this type of magnetic sensor can be readily obtained. The method for manufacturing the magnetic sensor comprises: a first forming step for forming a first multilayer film for a magnetoresistive effect element, the first multilayer film having a sensitivity axis in a specified direction and having on a substrate a soft magnetic free layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a self-pinning ferromagnetic pinned layer formed by anti-ferromagnetic bonding of a first ferromagnetic film and a second ferromagnetic film with an anti-parallel bonding film interposed therebetween; a removal step for removing from the substrate the first multilayer film in a region which is outside of a region in which the first multilayer film is allowed to remain; and a second forming step for forming a second multilayer film for the magnetoresistive effect element, the second multilayer film having a sensitivity axis in a direction that is different from the aforementioned specified direction and having on the substrate where the first multilayer film has been removed a soft magnetic free layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a self-pinning ferromagnetic pinned layer formed by anti-ferromagnetic bonding of a first ferromagnetic film and a second ferromagnetic film with an anti-parallel bonding film interposed therebetween.