Patent ID: 7268984

Claim:
A magnetic detecting element comprising: a multilayer composite constituted of a plurality of layers in which current flows in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces of the layers, the multilayer composite comprising: a free magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic material layer made of a nonmagnetic metal having a lattice constant higher than that of Cu; a pinned magnetic layer including a plurality of magnetic layers and at least one nonmagnetic interlayer separating the magnetic layers from one another, the magnetic layers including a first magnetic layer located most distant from the nonmagnetic material layer and a second magnetic layer located closest to and in contact with the nonmagnetic material layer; and a magnetostriction-enhancing layer made of a nonmagnetic metal, disposed on the surface opposite to the nonmagnetic material layer of the first magnetic layer; wherein the upper surface and the lower surface of the pinned magnetic layer lie between the magnetostriction-enhancing layer and the nonmagnetic material layer; at least part of crystals in the magnetostriction-enhancing layer and the first magnetic layer and at least part of crystals in the nonmagnetic material layer and the second magnetic layer are present in an epitaxial state or a heteroepitaxial state; and the surface opposing a recording medium of the pinned magnetic layer is open.