The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 21, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1999
Ryoichi Nakatani, Akigawa, JP;
Masahiro Kitada, Tokyo, JP;
Naoki Koyama, Kokubunji, JP;
Isamu Yuito, Ome, JP;
Hisashi Takano, Hachioji, JP;
Eijin Moriwaki, Hachioji, JP;
Mikio Suzuki, Kokubunji, JP;
Masaaki Futamoto, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Fumio Kugiya, Hachioji, JP;
Yoshibumi Matsuda, Hachioji, JP;
Kazuo Shiiki, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Yoshinori Miyamura, Tokyo, JP;
Kyo Akagi, Fuchu, JP;
Takeshi Nakao, Sagamihara, JP;
Hirotsugu Fukuoka, Hitachiota, JP;
Takayuki Munemoto, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Tokuho Takagaki, Yokohama, JP;
Toshio Kobayashi, Tokyo, JP;
Hideo Tanabe, Higashimurayama, JP;
Noboru Shimizu, Tokorozawa, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The magnetoresistance effect element is of a multilayered structure having at least magnetic layers and an intermediate layer of an insulating material, a semicondutor or an antiferromagnetic material against the magnetic layers, and the magneto-resistance effect element has terminals formed at least on the opposite magnetic layers, respectively, so that a current flows in the intermediate layer. The film surfaces of all the magnetic layers constituting the magnetoresistance effect element are opposed substantially at right angles to the recording surface of a magnetic recording medium. Therefore, the area of the magnetic layers facing the recording surface of the magnetic recording medium can be extremely reduced, and thus the magnetic field from a very narrow region of the high-density recorded magnetic recording medium can be detected by the current which has a tunneling characteristic and passes through the intermediate layer.