Thin film magnetic head, thin film magnetic head assembly, storage device, and method of manufacturing thin film magnetic head

摘要

An MR element includes a free layer. Hard magnetic layers are placed on both sides of the MR element and apply a bias magnetic field to the free layer. A pair of electrode layers are placed as spaced from each other, and supplies a sense current to the free layer. Layer structures are placed between portions overlapping with the respective electrode layers in the ambilateral regions of the free layer, and the electrode layers. Each layer structure includes a nonmagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, and an antiferromagnetic layer. A direction of magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer is fixed by the antiferromagnetic layer, and a magnetic thickness of the ferromagnetic layer is set greater than that of the free layer.