MAGNETORESISTANCE EFFECT ELEMENT, MAGNETORESISTANCE EFFECT HEAD, MAGNETIC RECORDING REPRODUCING DEVICE AND PRODUCTION OF MAGNETORESISTANCE EFFECT HEAD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decrease crosstalk while keeping ohmic contact by processing a magnetic film into the track width which responds to an external magnetic field of the two magnetic films interposing a nonmagnetic film and producing electric contact with a lead in a region out of the track width. SOLUTION: An antiferromagnetic film 11 such as FeMn, a lower magnetic film 12 such as NiFe, a nonmagnetic film 13 such as Cu, an upper magnetic film 14 such as NiFe, and a protective film 15 such as Ti and SiO2 are formed on a substrate 10. A part of the nonmagnetic film 13, upper magnetic film 14, protective film 15 and lower magnetic film 12 is removed by etching in the region except for the active region A. Then a lead 16 such as Cu/Cr is formed on the nonmagnetic film 12 in the region removed by etching except for the active region A. Since the magnetization of the lower magnetic film 12 is fixed by the antiferromagnetic film 11, the active region A of the magnetoresistance effect element is strictly restricted. Since no information is detected in the contact region B, this region can be made large.