Patent ID: 10388856

Abstract:
Provided is a magnetoresistance effect element that that generates a high MR ratio at a lower RA than a TMR element using a material of a conventional tunnel barrier layer or MgAl2O4. The magnetoresistance effect element includes a laminate in which an underlayer, a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a tunnel harrier layer, and a second ferromagnetic metal layer are laminated in that order, wherein the underlayer is made of TiN, NbN, TaN, ZrN or mixed crystals thereof, and the tunnel barrier layer is made of a compound that has a spinel structure and expressed by composition formula (1) below: (1) AxIn2Oy, where A is the non-magnetic divalent cation and represents cations of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of magnesium and zinc, x represents a number satisfying 0<x≤2, and y represents a number satisfying 0<y≤4.