Magnetoresistive head and read/write separation-type magnetic head

A magnetoresistive head comprising:

• a substrate;
• a lower magnetic shield film and an upper magnetic shield film, both disposed at the top of said substrate;
• a stacked-type pinned layer and free layers, all disposed between said lower magnetic shield film and said upper magnetic shield film;
• a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between said stacked-type pinned layer and said free layers;
• magnetic domain control films disposed at both ends of each of said free layers;
• and
• electrode films arranged each at the top of each of said magnetic domain control films;
• wherein:
• said stacked-type pinned layer has only three ferromagnetic films, and antiferromagnetic coupling films each disposed between any two of said ferromagnetic films;
• and
• of said ferromagnetic films, one ferromagnetic film adjacent to said nonmagnetic spacer layer has a composition rate satisfying Co100-ZFez, 20≧Z(at %)≧0,
• and both of the other ferromagnetic films, except the ferromagnetic film adjacent to said nonmagnetic spacer layer, each have a composition rate satisfying (Co1-YFeY)100-XMX, 0.8≧Y(at %)≧0.4, 12≧X(at %)≧2
• where M is an element selected from the group consisting of V, Cr, Ti, Mo, Nb, Zr, and Ta;
• wherein said stacked-type pinned layer does not have an adjacent exchange-coupling layer.

A read/write separation-type magnetic head, comprising:

• a magnetoresistive head including:
• a substrate;
• a lower magnetic shield film and an upper magnetic shield film, both of said films being disposed at the top of said substrate;
• a stacked-type pinned layer and free layers, each of said layers being disposed between said lower magnetic shield film and said upper magnetic shield film;
• a nonmagnetic spacer layer disposed between said stacked-type pinned layer and said free layers;
• magnetic domain control films disposed at both ends of each of said free layers;
• and
• electrode films each arranged at the top of each of said magnetic domain control films;
• wherein said stacked-type pinned layer has only three ferromagnetic films, and antiferromagnetic coupling films each disposed between any two of said ferromagnetic films;
• one of said ferromagnetic films that is adjacent to said nonmagnetic spacer layer has highly magnetoresistive characteristics with a Fe composition of 20 at % or less, and both of the other ferromagnetic films each have coercive and resistive characteristics superior to coercive and resistive characteristics of said highly magnetoresistive ferromagnetic film;
• and
• a magnetic recording head provided adjacently to said magnetoresistive head, said magnetic recording head including:
• a lower magnetic film;
• a magnetic gap film;
• an upper magnetic film which is formed with a magnetic pole piece facing said lower magnetic film via said magnetic gap film;
• and
• conductor coils each disposed between said lower magnetic film and said upper magnetic film
• wherein said stacked-type pinned layer does not have an adjacent exchange-coupling layer.