Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP
Magnetic storage/read system with read head including magnetoresistive element
 A magnetic storage/read system includes a recording medium for magnetically storing a signal and a magnetoresistive element which is driven relative to the recording medium. The magnetoresistive element may include a substrate, a first antiferromagnetic film, a first ferromagnetic film, a first nonmagnetic film, a soft magnetic film, a second nonmagnetic film, a second ferromagnetic film, and a second antiferromagnetic film, wherein the films are sequentially layered directly on the substrate with no intervening layer between any of the films. At least one of the first antiferromagnetic film and the second antiferromagnetic film may be made of nickel oxide. The first ferromagnetic film and the second ferromagnetic film have a first magnetization which is fixed in a predetermined direction, and the soft magnetic film has a second magnetization which is rotatable in response to a magnetic field from the recording medium such that an angle between a direction of the second magnetization and the predetermined direction in which the first magnetization is fixed varies in response to the magnetic field from the recording medium, thereby producing a magnetoresistive effect. 
Hitach, Ltd.
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Reiko Susumu Katsuya Moriaki Masaaki Hiroshi Fumio Hiroyuki
Arai Soeya Mitsuoka Fuyama Sano Fukui Sato Hoshiya