1. A magneto-resistive effect element (MR element), comprising:
a stack, being a pillar or trapezoidal stack, including
first and second magnetic layers in which a relative angle formed by magnetization directions changes according to an external magnetic field, and
a spacer layer that is positioned between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and that is provided with a main spacer layer that is composed of gallium oxide, zinc oxide or magnesium oxide as a primary component, wherein
one part of side surfaces of the stack forms a part of an air bearing surface; and
a cover layer that covers at least another part of the side surfaces of the stack and that is composed of gallium oxide as a primary component.
2. The MR element according to claim 1, wherein
the main spacer layer and the cover layer are formed under the following conditions:
introducing either inert gas or inert gas and oxygen gas into a film forming chamber when forming the main spacer layer;
introducing inert gas and oxygen gas into the film forming chamber when forming the cover layer; and
a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the cover layer being larger than a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the spacer layer.
3. A magneto-resistive effect element (MR element), comprising:
a stack, being a pillar or trapezoidal stack, including
first and second magnetic layers in which a relative angle formed by magnetization directions changes according to an external magnetic field, and
a spacer layer that is positioned between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and that is provided with a main spacer layer that is composed of gallium oxide as a primary component, wherein
one part of side surfaces of the stack forms a part of an air bearing surface; and
a cover layer that covers at least another part of the side surfaces of the stack and that is composed of magnesium oxide as a primary component.
4. The MR element according to claim 3, wherein
the main spacer layer and the cover layer are formed under the following conditions:
introducing either inert gas or inert gas and oxygen gas into a film forming chamber when forming the main spacer layer;
introducing inert gas and oxygen gas into the film forming chamber when forming the cover layer;
a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the cover layer being larger than a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the spacer layer.
5. A magnetic head, comprising:
the MR element according to claim 1.
6. The magnetic head according to claim 5, wherein
one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer is a magnetization free layer in which a magnetization direction changes according to the external magnetic field and the other is a magnetization pinned layer in which a magnetization direction is pinned according to the external magnetic field,
the magnetic head further comprises a pair of bias magnetic field application layers that is disposed on both sides of the MR element in a track width direction and that applies a bias magnetic field in the track width direction to the magnetization free layer.
7. The magnetic head according to claim 5, wherein
both of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are magnetization free layers in which magnetization directions change according to the external magnetic field,
the magnetic head further comprises a bias magnetic field application layer that is disposed on a backside of the MR element as viewed from the air bearing surface and that applies a bias magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to the air bearing surface to the first and second magnetic layers.
8. A magnetic head, comprising:
the MR element according to claim 3.
9. The magnetic head according to claim 8, wherein
one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer is a magnetization free layer in which a magnetization direction changes according to the external magnetic field and the other is a magnetization pinned layer in which a magnetization direction is pinned according to the external magnetic field,
the magnetic head further comprises a pair of bias magnetic field application layers that is disposed on both sides of the MR element in a track width direction and that applies a bias magnetic field in the track width direction to the magnetization free layer.
10. The magnetic head according to claim 8, wherein
both of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are magnetization free layers in which magnetization directions change according to the external magnetic field,
the magnetic head further comprises a bias magnetic field application layer that is disposed on a backside of the MR element as viewed from the air bearing surface, and that applies a bias magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to the air bearing surface to the first and second magnetic layers.
11. A magnetic head slider, comprising:
the magnetic head according to claim 5.
12. A head gimbal assembly, comprising:
the magnetic head according to claim 5.
13. A hard disk drive apparatus, comprising:
the magnetic head according to claim 5.
14. A magnetic head slider, comprising:
the magnetic head according to claim 8.
15. A head gimbal assembly, comprising:
the magnetic head according to claim 8.
16. A hard disk drive apparatus, comprising:
the magnetic head according to claim 8.
17. A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistive effect element (MR element), comprising:
forming a multilayer film that includes first and second magnetic layers in which a relative angle formed by magnetization directions changes according to an external magnetic field and a spacer layer that is positioned between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and that is provided with a main spacer layer that is composed of gallium oxide, zinc oxide or magnesium oxide as a primary component;
forming the multilayer film in a pillar or trapezoidal stack; and
covering side surfaces of the stack with a cover layer composed of gallium oxide as a primary component.
18. The method for manufacturing the MR element according to claim 17, comprising:
introducing either inert gas or inert gas and oxygen gas into a film forming chamber when forming the main spacer layer;
introducing inert gas and oxygen gas into the film forming chamber when forming the cover layer, and
making a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the cover layer larger than a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the spacer layer.
19. A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistive effect element (MR element), comprising:
forming a multilayer film that includes first and second magnetic layers in which a relative angle formed by magnetization directions changes according to an external magnetic field and a spacer layer that is positioned between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and that is provided with a main spacer layer that is composed of gallium oxide as a primary component;
forming the multilayer film in a pillar or trapezoidal stack; and
covering side surfaces of the stack with a cover layer composed of magnesium oxide as a primary component.
20. The method for manufacturing the MR element according to claim 19, comprising:
introducing either inert gas or inert gas and oxygen gas into a film forming chamber when forming the main spacer layer;
introducing inert gas and oxygen gas into the film forming chamber when forming the cover layer,
making a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the cover layer larger than a ratio of flow rate of oxygen gas with respect to total flow rate of gas introduced when forming the spacer layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A house arrest tracking system comprising:
a docking station located in an offender’s home, the docking station connected to a wireless modem connected via a cellular network to a central monitoring station, the docking station containing a processor board and the wireless modem, the processor board containing a microprocessor with flash and random access memory and a contact for direct connection with a miniature tracking device;
an offender’s home schedule loaded into the docking station microprocessor from the central monitoring station via the wireless modem;
the miniature tracking device positioned within the docking station when the offender is at home and positioned with the offender when the offender is out of his home;
a tamper resistant bracelet transmitter permanently positioned on the offender and communicating directly to the miniature tracking device; and
the miniature tracking device receiving GPS signals.
2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the miniature tracking device is positioned on the belt of the offender when outside his home.
3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the tamper resistant bracelet is positioned on the ankle of the offender.
4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the miniature tracking device contains a battery providing power when the miniature tracking device is not connected to the docking station.
5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the miniature tracking device battery is recharged when connected to the docking station.
6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the miniature tracking device contains three circuit boards.
7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the circuit boards are a processorGPS board, a bracelet receiver board and a docking board.
8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the miniature tracking device is enclosed within a sealed housing.
9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the docking station contains a backup battery that activates when electric power to the docking station is interrupted.
10. An apparatus for determining if an offender is violating a house arrest curfew comprising:
a docking station located in an offender’s home containing a processor board including a microprocessor with flash and random access memory and means for communication with a miniature tracking device, the docking station further containing a wireless modem for contacting a central monitoring station via a cellular network, the docking station microprocessor loaded with a home schedule of the offender received from the central monitoring station via the cellular network;
a tamper resistant bracelet transmitter permanently positioned on the offender and in communication by wireless transmission to the miniature tracking device;
the miniature tracking device located in the docking station when the offender is at home and located with the offender when the offender is out of the home; and
the miniature tracking device containing means for receiving a GPS signal to determine the position of the offender when the offender is out of the home.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the docking station contains a back up battery which activates upon interruption of the standard home electric circuit.
12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the miniature tracking device contains a battery providing power when the miniature tracking device is not connected to the docking station.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the miniature tracking device contains multiple circuit boards.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the multiple circuit boards comprise a processorGPS board, a bracelet receiver board and a docking board.
15. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the docking station is connected to a transformer for connecting a 120 volt circuit to a 5 volt circuit.