Patent ID: 6759120
Filing Date: 2004-07-06
Classification: B82Y,G11B,H01F,H01L,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A magnetoresistive film comprising a multilayer film including: a pinned magnetic layer having magnetization whose direction is fixed; a nonmagnetic middle layer formed on the pined magnetic layer; and a free magnetic layer formed on the middle layer and provided with magnetization whose direction changes in accordance with an external magnetic field, and indicating a magnitude of resistance in accordance with an angle formed by the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer and the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer,wherein a copper oxide layer of an oxide including a copper element is formed directly on said free magnetic layer, or on the free magnetic layer via an oxide layer comprising a material fabricated by oxidation of a material constituting the free magnetic layer, wherein the copper oxide layer cases specular reflection on, without applying a bias magnetic field to, an interface between the copper oxide layer and the free magnetic layer when the copper oxide layer is formed directly on the free magnetic layer, and wherein the copper oxide layer causes specular reflection on, without applying a bias magnetic field to, an interface between the free magnetic layer and the oxide layer and on the interface between the oxide layer and the copper oxide layer when the copper oxide layer is formed on the free magnetic layer via the oxide layer.