Sony Precision Technology Inc.

Sony Manufacturing Systems Corporation

Michio Okano

Masaaki Kusumi

Mitsuru Ohno

Shigeru Ishimoto

Yasuo Nekado

Tomoyuki Nakada

Teruyuki Miura

Hideki Nakamori

Yoshihiko Ohkawara

Touru Sumiya

Akitaka Tsunogae

In a magnetic sensor () including a substrate () having a magnetism-sensitive element () formed thereon, a hard membrane () is formed on the outermost surface, an organic film () to relieve the stress caused by the hard membrane () is formed under the hard membrane (), and an inorganic film () to relieve the stress caused by the organic film () is formed between the organic film () and magnetism-sensitive element (). Also, an intermediate film formed from an element having a large force of bonding to carbon may be formed between the organic film () and hard membrane (). Thus, the magnetic sensor (MR sensor, for example) can be protected against an external shock.

Magnetic sensor and position detector

A position transducer capable of accurately detecting an n-bit code by a small number of ABS detectors when there is provided one ABS track. In an ABS head, the ABS detectors to are disposed for a distance &lgr; between the first ABS detector and (n&plus;m)th ABS detector to satisfy a requirement (n&minus;1)&lgr;&plus;2&dgr;<&lgr; and a distance &lgr; between two successive ones of the ABS detectors to satisfy a requirement 2&dgr;<&lgr; <&lgr;&minus;2&dgr;, so that at least one ABS detector is opposite to a stable area T in each of micro-areas at successive bits.

Position transducer

There is provided a position transducer ( ) capable of accurately detecting an n-bit code by n ABS detectors from one ABS track. When an INC value is under j or over k, signal output from each of the ABS detectors is binarized based on a threshold h and also based on a threshold l. First, an ABS value decider ( ) decides that a bit is &ldquo;H&rdquo; when it has been judged as being &ldquo;H&rdquo; on the basis of both the thresholds and a bit is &ldquo;L&rdquo; when it is has been judged as being &ldquo;L&rdquo; on the basis of both the thresholds. When the INC value is under j, a lower bit has the same code as that of the deiced bit. So, the ABS value decider ( ) decides that the lower bit is &ldquo;H&rdquo; or &ldquo;L&rdquo;. On the other hand, when the INC value is over k, an upper bit has the same code as the decided code. Thus, the ABS value decider ( ) decides that the upper bit is &ldquo;H&rdquo; or &ldquo;L&rdquo;. The ABS value decider ( ) decides a yet-to-decide bit to be &ldquo;L&rdquo; when a bit adjacent to the bit is &ldquo;H&rdquo;, and &ldquo;H&rdquo; when the adjacent bit is &ldquo;L&rdquo;.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Michio Okano