Patent ID: 8379350

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element comprising: a first ferromagnetic layer; a second ferromagnetic layer; and a spacer layer that is disposed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, the magnetoresistive element being fed a current for magnetic signal detection in a direction intersecting a plane of each of the layers, wherein: the spacer layer includes a nonmagnetic metal layer, a first oxide semiconductor layer, and a second oxide semiconductor layer that are stacked in this order; the nonmagnetic metal layer is made of Cu, and has a thickness in the range of 0.3 to 1.5 nm; the first oxide semiconductor layer is made of a Ga oxide semiconductor, and has a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 2.0 nm; and the second oxide semiconductor layer is made of a Zn oxide semiconductor, and has a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 nm.