A spin-valve type magnetoresistive sensor with a bias structure enabling a magnetization
direction of a free magnetic layer to be uniformly arranged with certainty. The
spin-valve type magnetoresistive sensor comprises an antiferromagnetic layer; a
pinned magnetic layer having a magnetization direction made stationary; a nonmagnetic
electrically conductive layer formed between the pinned magnetic layer and a free
magnetic layer; soft magnetic layers that are arranged on the free magnetic layer
while a spacing corresponding to a track width is left between the soft magnetic
layers and that fill recesses in the free magnetic layer on both sides of an area
corresponding to the track width; bias layers formed on the soft magnetic layers;
and electrically conductive layers. The antiferromagnetic layer and the bias layers
are each made of an alloy containing at least one or more elements selected from
among Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, Os, Au, Ag, Cr, Ni, Ne, Ar, Xe and Kr, as well as Mn.
