Patent 7542247 was granted and assigned to Panasonic on June, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A magnetic disk apparatus having a highly sensitive reproducing head and a method for manufacturing the magnetic disk apparatus are disclosed. A spin-valve-type multilayer film composed of an antiferromagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer and a free magnetic layer is used as a magnetoresistive-effect device for the reproducing head. An antiferromagnetic reaction layer is formed between the antiferromagnetic reaction layer and the ferromagnetic layer. The antiferromagnetic reaction layer is formed of a metallic compound containing oxygen.