Soft magnetic alloy film and manufacturing method thereof, and magnetic head incorporating the same

A soft magnetic alloy film essentially consisting of magnetic alloy having composition expressed by

• general formula:
• Fe.sub.1-a-b Co.sub.a Ni.sub.b
• wherein in the formula, a and b satisfying 0.ltoreq.a<1, 0.ltoreq.b<1, 0.3.ltoreq.1-a-b<0.95:
• wherein the soft magnetic alloy film has a first phase consisting of body-centered cubic structure, average grain diameter of the phase is in the range of 50 nm or less, and (110) plane thereof is grown in parallel to film plane of the soft magnetic alloy film.

A magnetic head, comprising:

• a magnetic gap disposed so as to be positioned on an air bearing surface;
• a pair of magnetic poles disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic gap, at least one of the magnetic poles having a soft magnetic alloy film;
• and
• a coil disposed between the pair of magnetic poles so as to intersect with the magnetic poles,
• wherein the soft magnetic alloy film essentially consists of magnetic alloy having composition expressed by
• general formula:
• (Fe.sub.1-a-b Co.sub.a Ni.sub.b).sub.100-x Rx
• wherein in the formula, R denotes at least one kind of element selected from rare earth elements including Y, a, b and x satisfying 0.ltoreq.a<1, 0.ltoreq.b<1, 0.3.ltoreq.1-a-b<0.95, 0.5<x.ltoreq.10 at %:
• and
• wherein the soft magnetic alloy film has a first magnetic phase and a second magnetic phase, the first magnetic phase essentially consisting of crystalline substance which contains Fe, Fe--Co or Fe--Co--Ni as a main component and containing the R element in the range of 10 at % or less, the second magnetic phase containing the R element in the range of 0.5 at % or more.