Patent ID: 6646835
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F,Y10T

Abstract:
A spin-valve magnetoresistive thin film element, comprising:an antiferromagnetic layer; a pinned magnetic film contacting said antiferromagnetic layer, wherein a magnetization direction is pinned by an exchange coupling magnetic field between said pinned magnetic film and said antiferromagnetic layer; a free magnetic film; a nonmagnetic electrically conductive layer formed between said free magnetic film and said pinned magnetic film, wherein a magnetizing direction of said free magnetic film is aligned so as to intersect with the magnetizing direction of said pinned magnetic film; and wherein said pinned magnetic film includes a first pinned magnetic layer contacting said antiferromagnetic layer and a second pinned magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic intermediate layer therebetween wherein, said free magnetic film includes a first free magnetic layer and a second free magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic intermediate layer therebetween, wherein a product of saturation magnetization Ms and film thickness t is the magnetic moment, wherein an absolute value of a synthesized magnetic moment obtained by adding the magnetic moment of said first free magnetic layer and a magnetic moment of said second free magnetic layer is greater than the absolute value of a synthesized magnetic moment obtained by adding the magnetic moment of said first pinned magnetic layer and a magnetic moment of said second pinned magnetic layer.