GMR ELEMENT, MAGNETORESISTIVE EFFECT HEAD USING IT, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE HEAD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high-performance magnetoresistive effect head that is made to cope with a narrow gap, a method of manufacturing the head, and a GMR element that is suitable to the head. SOLUTION: The magnetoresistive effect head is provided with the GMR element 4 showing a magnetoresistive effect and a magnetic flux guide 5 which draws leakage magnetic fluxes from a magnetic recording medium in the element 4. The element 4 is positioned in a state where the element 4 is retreated from the medium facing surface of the head and the guide 5 is interposed between the medium facing surface and element 4. The film thickness of the guide 5 is made thicker at the portion joined to the element 4 and thinner at the portion exposed on the medium facing surface. In addition, the output deterioration which is feared to occur in the structure of the head can be compensated by means of the GMR element 4 having a plurality of dual spin valve structures.