A magnetoresistive head includes a first magnetic shield, an
antiferromagnetic layer provided on the first magnetic shield, a pinned
ferromagnetic layer provided on the antiferromagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic
intermediate layer provided on the pinned ferromagnetic layer, and a free
ferromagnetic layer provided on the nonmagnetic intermediate layer. The
magnetoresistive head further includes a pair of hard magnetic film bias
layers provided on the opposite sides of the free ferromagnetic layer, a
pair of terminal layers provided on the hard magnetic film bias layers, a
metal oxide film formed on the free ferromagnetic layer at an exposed
portion between the pair of terminal layers, and a second magnetic shield
provided on the pair of terminal layers and the metal oxide film.
