Patent ID: 7072153
Filing Date: 2006-07-04
Classification: B82Y,G11B,H01F,H01L

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer, the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low and configured to have the sense current preferentially flow through the second regions when a sense current passes the first layer; and a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film and configured to supply the sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film, wherein a composition of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer changes continuously at a boundary between the first and second regions.