Sony Corporation

Other

Toshihiko Baba

Baba, Toshihiko

Atsushi Matsuzono

Satoshi Sasaki

Hiroaki Ono

Mitsunari Hoshi

Akio Furukawa

Teiichi Miyauchi

Shoji Terada

Masanori Hosomi

Eiji Makino

Hiroshi Takino

Kiyoshi Yamakawa

Shigehisa Ohkawara

A method for manufacturing a surface-emitting semiconductor laser having a structure in which the single horizontal mode of high power is stably maintained is provided. A scattering-loss-structure portion composed of a low refractive-index region is disposed around a main current path in a surface-emitting semiconductor laser, namely around a cavity structure portion; the low refractive-index region is disposed at intervals; and the shape of the tip portion opposing to the center portion is set to be a tapered shape, for example, at an acute angle. Accordingly, in the cavity structure portion, the loss of light-emitting laser of a high-order mode localized in the outer circumferential portion becomes large, so that a surface-emitting semiconductor laser that oscillates the single-mode laser with favorable performance is constructed.

Method for manufacturing surface-emitting semiconductor laser

A surface-emitting semiconductor laser (VCSEL) having a structure in which the single horizontal mode of high power is stably maintained, and an optical device including a light-source device having this surface-emitting semiconductor laser are provided. A scattering-loss-structure portion composed of a low refractive-index region is disposed around a main current path in a surface-emitting semiconductor laser, namely around a cavity structure portion; the low refractive-index region is disposed at intervals; and the shape of the tip portion opposing to the center portion is set to be a tapered shape, for example, at an acute angle. Accordingly, in the cavity structure portion, the loss of light-emitting laser of a high-order mode localized in the outer circumferential portion becomes large, so that a surface-emitting semiconductor laser that oscillates the single-mode laser with favorable performance is constructed.

Surface-emitting semiconductor laser and method for manufacturing thereof as well as optical device

A giant magneto-resistive effect element includes a lamination layer structure portion ( ) in which at least a free layer ( ) the magnetization of which is rotated in response to an external magnetic field, a fixed layer ( ), an antiferromagnetic layer ( ) for fixing the magnetization of the fixed layer ( ) and a nonmagnetic layer ( ) interposed between the free layer ( ) and the fixed layer ( ) are laminated one on top of another. A sense current flows to substantially a lamination layer direction of the lamination layer structure portion ( ) and the lamination layer structure portion ( ) has disposed thereon an electric conduction restricting layer (S) in which very small electric conduction areas are dispersedly formed across a path of said sense current, whereby an element resistance can be increased and the amount of magneto-resistance change can be increased. Thus, a magneto-resistive effect element, a magnetic sensor using magneto-resistive effect, a magnetic head using magneto-resistive effect and a magnetic memory become able to increase the amount of magneto-resistive change.

Magneto-resistive effect element, magnetic sensor using magneto-resistive effect, magnetic head using magneto-resistive effect and magnetic memory

A giant magneto-resistive effect element includes a laminated layer film having a ferromagnetic film, a non-magnetic film and an anti-ferromagnetic film. A current is caused to flow in the direction perpendicular to the film plane of the laminated layer film by upper and lower electrodes. Hard magnetic films are directly connected to both sides in the width direction of the laminated layer film. Insulating films are formed above or under the hard magnetic films. A current path between the upper electrodes or the lower electrodes and the laminated layer film is restricted by an opening defined between the insulating layers at both sides. The hard magnetic films have a specific resistance substantially the same as or larger than that of the laminated layer film. Further, there are provided a magneto-resistive effect type head, a thin-film magnetic memory and a thin-film magnetic sensor including the above-mentioned giant magneto-resistive effect element.

GIANT MAGNETO-RESISTIVE EFFECT ELEMENT HAVING SMALL LEAKAGE CURRENT, MAGNETO-RESISTIVE EFFECTIVE TYPE HEAD HAVING SMALL-LEAKAGE CURRENT, THIN-FILM MAGNETIC MEMORY HAVING SMALL LEAKAGE CURRENT AND THIN-FILM MAGNETIC SENSOR HAVING SMALL LEAKAGE CURRENT

A giant magneto-resistive effect element ( ) comprises a lamination layer film ( ) including a ferromagnetic film and wherein a nonmagnetic film and an antiferromagnetic film, the ferromagnetic film includes a magnetization free layer ( ) and a magnetization fixed layer, a current is restricted by an upper electrode and a lower electrode in such a manner that the current may flow in the direction perpendicular to the film plane of the lamination layer film ( ), the lamination layer film ( ) is laminated including a high-resistance layer ( ), a hard magnetic film ( ) made of a conductive hard magnetic material and an insulating layer ( ) are directly bonded to respective outsides of this lamination layer film ( ) along its width direction and this hard magnetic film ( ) is shifted from the high-resistance layer ( ) and bonded near the magnetization free layer ( ). A magneto-resistive effect type head, a thin-film magnetic memory and a thin-film magnetic sensor include the giant magneto-resistive effect element ( ). The giant magneto-resistive effect element can obtain a high output, a high resistance and is able to cope with high recording density. Also, the magneto-resistive effect head, the thin-film magnetic memory and the thin-film magnetic sensor may include this giant magneto-resistive effect element.

Giant magneto-resistive effect element, magneto-resistive effect type head, thin-film magnetic memory and thin-film magnetic sensor

A thin film magnetic head has a main magnetic pole piece, a magnetoresistance effect element, a bias layer giving a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, an auxiliary magnetic pole piece and an insulating layer leaving a space between the main magnetic pole piece and the auxiliary magnetic pole piece, the main magnetic pole piece is almost disposed in parallel with the magnetoresistance effect element, a distance between the main magnetic pole piece and the magnetoresistance effect element is selected from 1 nm to 1 .mu.m.

Thin film magnetic head with a particularly shaped magnetic pole piece

A magneto-resistance effect device having improved sensitivity in which an effective anisotropic magnetic field operating on a magneto-resistance effect layer is not increased by the sense current magnetic field. The device includes a magnetic field detection unit having a magneto-resistance effect film exhibiting a magneto-resistance effect. The magnetic field detection unit is fed with a sense current in a direction substantially parallel to an external magnetic field. The device also includes an anti-ferromagnetic film arranged neighboring to the magneto-resistance effect film of the magnetic field detection unit. The direction of a magnetic field emanating from the anti-ferromagnetic film is substantially anti-parallel to the direction of a sense current magnetic field generated by the sense current and impressed on the magneto-resistance effect film of the magnetic field detection unit.

MR Device with anti-ferro magnetic field anti-parallel to sense current

A longitudinal type magnetoresistance effect device employed in a thin-film magnetic head enclosed within a high-density magnetic recording device or in a high-sensitivity magnetic sensor, in which the rate of change in resistance dependent on the sense current density may be prevented from being lowered and in which high magnetic field sensitivity may be realized even in the high sense current density area. The sense current flows in the device in a direction at right angles to the plane of the magnetic recording medium. At least two or more layers of the soft magnetic layers and the non-magnetic electrically conductive layers are stacked in multiple layers and has a broad width portion in an area which proves to be a current route for the sense current.

Giant magnetoresistance effect device with magnetically sensitive

A planar thin film magnetic head is disclosed wherein an axis of easy magnetization in the vicinity of a magnetic gap of a magnetic yoke is forcibly made coincident with the direction of a track width by a magnetic field due to current flowing in a conductor layer. Accordingly, even though the track width is small, a high magnetic permeability, low Barkhausen noise and linear responsiveness can be realized to thereby improve the sensitivity, output and linearity. In another aspect of the invention, a throat portion is eliminated from a thin film magnetic core forming a magnetic gap. The thin film magnetic core is configured such that a pair of magnetic members constituting the magnetic core are diverged from the magnetic gap so that a divergent angle .theta., of first opposite side edges of the magnetic members, from a direction of the gap length of the magnetic gap, is set to the range of 30.degree..ltoreq..theta..ltoreq.80.degree., and the magnetic members have second opposite side edges extending in substantially parallel to the direction of the gap length of the magnetic gap. Accordingly, even though a track width is reduced less than 10 .mu.m, adjoining crosstalk or off track crosstalk can be avoided to thereby realize low-noise and high quality reproduction and improve the operating characteristics.

Planar thin film magnetic head

A thin film magnetic head comprises a thin film magnetic core provided with a magnetic head gap, forming part of a first closed magnetic path and extended substantially in parallel to an air bearing surface to be disposed opposite to the surface of a magnetic recording medium, a head coil magnetically coupled with the first closed magnetic path, and a magnetoresistance-effect element forming a second closed magnetic path magnetically coupled with a portion of the first closed magnetic path including the magnetic head gap. The thin film magnetic head is provided with auxiliary magnetic head gaps respectively in portions of the first closed magnetic path other than the portion including the magnetic head gap. The portions of the first closed magnetic path provided with the auxiliary magnetic head gaps have comparatively high magnetic resistances, so that the distribution of magnetic flux to the magnetoresistance-effect element can be regulated to improve the reproducing efficiency of the magnetoresistance-effect element.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Atsushi Matsuzono