Patent ID: 6562486
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F,H01L,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A magnetoresistance effect device, comprising a substrate and a multilayer film, wherein:the multilayer film comprises at least two ferromagnetic layers, a non-magnetic layer and a pinning layer for pinning a magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic layer; the ferromagnetic layers are deposited via the non-magnetic layer interposed therebetween; at least one of the ferromagnetic layers is a pinned layer whose magnetization direction is fixed by the pinning layer which is provided in contact with the one of the ferromagnetic layers on an opposite side of another one of the ferromagnetic layers with respect to the non-magnetic layer; at least one of the ferromagnetic layers is a free layer whose magnetization direction is allowed to rotate freely; a change in an angle between the magnetization direction of the pinned layer and the magnetization direction of the free layer causes an electric resistance of the device to vary; and the pinning layer comprises an (AB)2Ox layer, wherein: O denotes an oxygen atom; 2.8A is a rare earth atom, or an alkaline-earth atom, or a mixture of both a rare earth atom and an alkaline-earth atom, or is bismuth; and B is one or two transition metal atoms.