Magnetoresistive device and method of manufacturing same, and thin-film magnetic head and method of manufacturing same

A method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive device comprising:

• a magnetoresistive element having two surfaces that face toward opposite directions and two side portions;
• a pair of bias field applying layers that are adjacent to the side portions of the magnetoresistive element and apply a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element;
• a pair of electrode layers that feed a current used for signal detection to the magnetoresistive element, each of the electrode layers being adjacent to one of surfaces of each of the bias field applying layers and overlapping one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element;
• and
• a protection layer for protecting the magnetoresistive element, the protection layer being located between the one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element and the electrode layers,
• wherein each of the electrode layers includes:
• a first layer laid over part of the one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element via the protection layer;
• and a second layer electrically connected to the first layer, the method comprising the steps of:
• forming an element-to-be film that is to be the magnetoresistive element;
• forming the protection layer on the element-to-be film;
• forming a first electrode-to-be film that is to be the first layers of the electrode layers on the protection layer;
• forming the bias field applying layers;
• and
• forming the second layers of the electrode layers after the step of forming the bias field applying layers, wherein:
• in the step of forming the first electrode-to-be film, the first electrode-to-be film is formed continuously after the step of forming the protection layer, without interposing a step of exposing the protection layer to the air.

A thin-film magnetic head comprising:

• a medium facing surface that faces toward a recording medium;
• a magnetoresistive element located near the medium-facing surface and having two surfaces that face toward opposite directions and two side portions;
• a pair of bias field applying layers that are adjacent to the side portions of the magnetoresistive element and apply a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element;
• and
• a pair of electrode layers that feed a current used for signal detection to the magnetoresistive element, each of the electrode layers being adjacent to one of surfaces of each of the bias field applying layers and overlapping one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element,
• wherein each of the electrode layers includes:
• a first layer laid over part of the one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element;
• and a second layer overlapping the first layer and electrically connected to the first layer.

A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head comprising:

• a medium facing surface that faces toward a recording medium;
• a magnetoresistive element located near the medium-facing surface and having two surfaces that face toward opposite directions and two side portions;
• a pair of bias field applying layers that are adjacent to the side portions of the magnetoresistive element and apply a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element;
• a pair of electrode layers that feed a current used for signal detection to the magnetoresistive element, each of the electrode layers being adjacent to one of surfaces of each of the bias field applying layers and overlapping one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element;
• and
• a protection layer for protecting the magnetoresistive element, the protection layer being located between the one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element and the electrode layers,
• wherein each of the electrode layers includes:
• a first layer laid over part of the one of the surfaces of the magnetoresistive element via the protection layer;
• and a second layer electrically connected to the first layer, the method comprising the steps of:
• forming an element-to-be film that is to be the magnetoresistive element;
• forming the protection layer on the element-to-be film;
• forming a first electrode-to-be film that is to be the first layers of the electrode layers on the protection layer;
• forming the bias field applying layers;
• and
• forming the second layers of the electrode layers after the step of forming the bias field applying layers, wherein:
• in the step of forming the first electrode-to-be film, the first electrode-to-be film is formed continuously after the step of forming the protection layer, without interposing a step of exposing the protection layer to the air.