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:
Mar. 18, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 13, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
Read-Rite SMI Corporation, Osaka, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 5/39 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 5/39 ;
Abstract
A thin-film magnetic head in which has a spin-valve element and a pair of electrode layers that are electrically connected to both ends of the element in the direction of width. A tantalum film is laminated as a protective layer on the uppermost part of the abovementioned element. A pair of electrode layers are caused to overlap on both end portions of the element. The tantalum oxide present in the areas on which the electrode layers overlap is removed prior to the formation of the electrode layers so that the electrical resistance between the electrode layers and the element is reduced.