Patent ID: 6104275
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: B82Y,G01R,G11B,H01F,H01L

Abstract:
A magnetoresistive element comprising a multilayer film having a multilayer structure in which a nonmagnetic conductive layer is interposed between a pair of ferromagnetic layers, a pair of electrodes which produces a detection current flow through the multilayer film, and a filter layer comprised of ferromagnetic material and disposed between a positive one of said pair of electrodes and one of said pair of ferromagnetic layers for delivering spin-polarized electrons to said ferromagnetic layer, wherein a traveling distance of electrons in the ferromagnetic layer is maintained shorter than a spin diffusion length, and wherein said ferromagnetic material of the filter layer is selected, so that a difference in Fermi level between the filter layer and the ferromagnetic layer falls within a range of .+-.1 eV.