MAGNETORESISTANCE EFFECT ELEMENT, ITS MANUFACTURING METHOD, THIN FILM MAGNETIC HEAD, HEAD JIMBAL ASSEMBLY, HEAD ARM ASSEMBLY, AND MAGNETIC DISK DRIVE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enlarge an MR ratio in an MR element where current flows in a direction crossing faces of respective layers constituting the MR element. SOLUTION: The MR element 5 includes a non-magnetic conductive layer 24, and a fixed layer 23 and a free layer 25 which are arranged to sandwich the non-magnetic conductive layer 24. The fixed layer 23 and the free layer 25 comprise Heusler alloy layers 33H and 25H. The Heusler alloy layers 33H and 25H comprise Heusler alloys where atoms of magnetic metallic elements are arranged in body center positions of unit lattices, and additional non-magnetic metal elements which do not constitute the Heusler alloy. At least the fixed layer 23 or the free layer 25 is a region adjacent to the non-magnetic conductive layer 24, and it comprises a region where concentration of the addition element becomes large as it comes close to the non-magnetic conductive layer 24. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT