Magnetic head and magnetic disk apparatus

A magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistive-effect sensor provided with a magnetoresistive effect film having a free layer including a ferromagnetic layer of which-magnetization is rotatable corresponding to the external magnetic field, a pair of electrodes for supplying a current in the film thickness direction of the magnetoresistive effect film, and a magnetic flux guide for guiding a magnetic flux from the recording medium surface to the magnetoresistive effect film, wherein a magnetic domain control layer for applying a bias magnetic field on the free layer of the magnetoresistive effect film and a magnetic domain control layer for applying a bias magnetic field on the magnetic flux guide are formed in the same plane in the magnetoresistive effect sensor.

A magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistive effect sensor provided with a magnetoresistive effect film having a free layer including a ferromagnetic layer of which magnetization is rotatable corresponding to the external magnetic field, a pair of electrodes for supplying a current in the film thickness direction of the magnetoresistive effect film, and a magnetic flux guide for guiding a magnetic flux from the recording medium surface to the magnetoresistive effect film, wherein the magnetoresistive effect film is formed at the position where the magnetoresistive effect film is not disposed on the medium surface in contact with the magnetic flux guide that extends from the medium surface to the facing surface, a magnetic domain control layer for applying a bias magnetic filed on the magnetic flux guide is laminated, and the magnetic domain of the free layer is also controlled by controlling the magnetic domain of the magnetic flux guide.

A magnetic disk apparatus having a magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistive effect film having a free layer including a ferromagnetic layer of which magnetization is rotatable corresponding to the external magnetic field, a pair of electrodes for supplying a current in the film thickness direction of the magnetoresistive effect film, and a magnetic flux guide for guiding a magnetic flux from the recording medium surface to the magnetoresistive effect film, wherein the magnetic head is capable of controlling both the magnetic domain of the free layer and the magnetic domain of the magnetic flux guide together.