Composite magnetic head, magnetic disk drive using the head, and control method for the magnetic disk

• Main Author: TSUCHIYA REIJIRO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.09.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: INFORMATION STORAGE; INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORDCARRIER AND TRANSDUCER; PHYSICS

Because a conventional magnetic head has a structure, in which a MR element and a recording element are stacked, there are cases in which a recording magnetic field affects the MR element, inducing changes in the characteristics of the MR element. An object of the present invention is to lessen the influence of a recording magnetic field on the magnetically sensitive portion of are production element like this, stabilize the performance of the MR element, and enhance the reliability of the magnetic disk drive using a MR element. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk drive that is capable of improve reliability by using a composite magnet head, which makes a plurality of reproduction elements/reproduction heads correspond to one recording head. The present invention constitutes a composite magnetic head, which has a plurality of reproduction elements arranged such that the magnetically sensitive layer of a reproduction element of the composite magnetic head does not overlap with the normal direction projection of the recording element, and which lessens the influence of a recording magnetic field on the magnetically sensitive portion of each reproduction element. Further, the object of the present invention is achieved by constituting a magnetic disk drive, in which one of a plurality of reproduction elements is selected and used in reproduction. The present invention enables the provision of a magnetic disk drive, which is equipped with a composite magnetic head having a plurality of reproduction elements, and in which one of a plurality of reproduction elements is selected and used in the reproduction of information, and a magnetic disk drive, which utilizes a composite magnetic head formed such that the magnetically sensitive layers of a plurality of reproduction elements do not overlap with the normal direction projection of the recording element.