A
magneto-resistance effect element comprises; a
magneto-resistance effect stack including an upper
magnetic layer and a lower
magnetic layer in which respective
magnetization directions change in accordance with an external
magnetic field, a non-magnetic intermediate layer sandwiched between the upper and lower magnetic
layers, an upper gap adjustment layer and a lower gap adjustment layer provided at respective ends in the direction of stacking the
magneto-resistance effect stack, an upper exchange
coupling transmission layer configured to generate exchange
coupling between the upper
magnetic layer and the upper gap adjustment layer, and a lower exchange
coupling transmission layer configured to generate exchange coupling between the lower magnetic layer and the lower gap adjustment layer; an upper shield
electrode layer and a lower shield
electrode layer which are provided to sandwich the magneto-resistance effect stack therebetween in the direction of stacking the magneto-resistance effect stack, wherein the upper shield
electrode layer and the lower shield electrode layer supply sense current in the direction of stacking, and magnetically shield the magneto-resistance effect stack; and a bias magnetic layer which is provided on a surface of the magneto-resistance effect stack opposite to an
air bearing surface, and wherein the bias magnetic layer applies a bias
magnetic field to the upper and lower magnetic
layers in a direction perpendicular to the
air bearing surface, wherein the upper and lower shield electrode
layers are each magnetized in a track width direction by a
magnetization controller, and the upper and lower gap adjustment layers are composed of a material having a higher magnetic permeability and a lower
saturation magnetic flux density than the upper and lower shield electrode layers respectively.