Patent ID: 7843669
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,G11C,H01F,H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a magnetoresistance effect film; and a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film; wherein the magnetoresistance effect film comprises: a first magnetic layer whose direction of magnetization is substantially pinned in one direction; a second magnetic layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field; a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the first and second magnetic layers; and at least one film provided in the first magnetic layer, in the second magnetic layer, at an interface between the first magnetic layer and the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, or at an interface between the second magnetic layer and the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, wherein a thickness of the film is not larger than 3 nanometers, the film comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of nitride and oxynitride; and the film comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), calcium (calcium), scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (nickel), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag), barium (Ba), lantern (La), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), and tungsten (W), and the electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film are configured to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film.