Patent ID: 7787220
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A magnetoresistive element comprising: a nonmagnetic conductive layer having two surfaces facing toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to one of the surfaces of the nonmagnetic conductive layer, a direction of magnetization in the free layer changing in response to an external magnetic field; and a pinned layer disposed adjacent to the other of the surfaces of the nonmagnetic conductive layer, a direction of magnetization in the pinned layer being fixed, a current for detecting magnetic signals being fed in a direction intersecting each of the layers, wherein: the free layer incorporates a plurality of layers including a first layer, the first layer being placed at a location to touch one of the surfaces of the nonmagnetic conductive layer; the first layer is made of an alloy containing ‘a’ atomic percent cobalt and (100−a) atomic percent iron wherein ‘a’ falls within a range of 20 to 50 inclusive; the free layer has a magnetostriction constant within a range of −0.89×10 the free layer has a coercivity within a range of 10×79.6 A/m to 15×79.6 A/m.