Patent ID: 7957108
Filing Date: 2011-06-07
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistive element comprising: a free layer having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to an external magnetic field; a pinned layer having a fixed direction of magnetization; and a spacer layer disposed between the free layer and the pinned layer, wherein a current for detecting magnetic signals is fed in a direction intersecting a plane of each of the foregoing layers, and wherein: the spacer layer includes a first region, a second region and a third region that are each in the form of a layer and that are arranged in the direction intersecting the plane of each of the foregoing layers; the second region is sandwiched between the first region and the third region; the first region and the third region are each composed entirely of an oxide semiconductor; and the second region includes at least a nonmagnetic conductor phase, wherein the first region completely separates the second region and the pinned layer, the third region completely separates the second region and the free layer, the first region is sandwiched between the second region and the pinned layer and the third region is sandwiched between the second region and the free layer.