Thin film magnetic head structure having tapered side edges

Claim 2

A head assembly for use in a magnetic recording disk drive having a disk for the recording of data comprising: a carrier having a surface facing the disk when the carrier is located in the disk drive; and a head formed on the carrier, the head comprising: a magnetoresistive sensor recessed from the disk-facing surface of the carrier, and a magnetic flux guide for directing magnetic flux from the disk to the sensor comprising a laminate of two magnetic films and a nonmagnetic spacer film located between the two magnetic films, the flux guide having a thickness defined by the thickness of the laminated films, a length defined between a sensing end near the disk-facing surface on the carrier and an opposite end magnetically coupled to the recessed sensor, and a width near the sensing end defined between two side edges, the width having a central region and two edge regions spaced apart by the central region, the magnetic films having their magnetization oriented generally parallel to the sensing end and generally perpendicular to each of said two side edges, each of the two magnetic films and intermediate spacer film having a thickness that is generally constant over a substantial portion of the width of the sensing end in the central region of the sensing end, that decreases toward each of said two side edges in each of the edge regions, and that is at its minimum at said side edges; wherein a single domain state in the flux guide of the head assembly is obtained.

Claim 3

The head assembly according to claim 1 further comprising an inductive write head formed on the carrier.

Claim 4

A magnetic recording system of the type having a magnetic recording medium and a magnetoresistive sensor for reading data recorded on the medium, the system comprising: a carrier for supporting the magnetoresistive sensor near the medium; a magnetoresistive sensor located on the carrier and recessed from that portion of the carrier near the medium; a magnetic flux guide having a sensing end near the medium, its other end magnetically coupled to the recessed magnetoresistive sensor for directing magnetic flux from the medium to the magnetoresistive sensor, two spaced-apart side edges defining the width of the flux guide, the width encompassing a central region and two edge regions, the flux guide comprising a laminate of two generally flat magnetic films and a generally flat intermediate nonmagnetic spacer film, the magnetic films having their magnetization oriented generally parallel to the sensing end and generally perpendicular to said side edges, each of the films having a thickness that is generally constant across a substantial portion of the width of the flux guide in the central region between said side edges, that decreases toward said side edges, in the two edge regions, and that is at its minimum at said side edges wherein a single domain state in the flux guide is obtained; means for moving the medium and the carrier relative to one another; and means electrically coupled to the magnetoresistive sensor for detecting changes in electrical resistance of the sensor representative of magnetic flux directed to the magnetoresistive sensor from the medium by the flux guide.

Claim 5

A magnetic recording system of the type having a magnetic recording medium and a magnetoresistive sensor for reading data recorded on the medium, the system comprising: a carrier for supporting the magnetoresistive sensor near the medium; a magnetoresistive sensor located on the carrier and recessed from that portion of the carrier near the medium; a magnetic flux guide having a sensing end near the medium, its other end magnetically coupled to the recessed magnetoresistive sensor for directing magnetic flux from the medium to the magnetoresistive sensor, two spaced-apart side edges defining the width of the flux guide, the width encompassing a central region and two edge regions, the flux guide comprising a laminate of two generally flat magnetic films and a generally flat intermediate nonmagnetic spacer film, the magnetic films having their magnetization oriented generally parallel to the sensing end and generally perpendicular to said side edges, each of the films having a thickness that is generally constant across a substantial portion of the width of the flux guide in the central region between said side edges, that decreases toward said side edges, in the two edge regions, and that is at its minimum at said side edges wherein a single domain state in the flux guide is obtained; means for moving the medium and the carrier relative to one another; and means electrically coupled to the magnetoresistive sensor for detecting changes in electrical resistance of the sensor representative of magnetic flux directed to the magnetoresistive sensor from the medium by the flux guide.

Claim 6

The magnetic recording system according to claim 3 further comprising an inductive write head formed on the carrier.