Patent ID: 7894249

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element comprising: a free layer; a pinned layer; a nonmagnetic layer interposed between said free layer and said pinned layer; and two magnetic layers arranged on an opposite side of said free layer to said nonmagnetic layer, wherein said free layer includes: a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer interposed between said first magnetic layer and said second magnetic layer, wherein magnetization of said first magnetic layer and magnetization of said second magnetic layer are antiferromagnetically coupled, wherein one of said two magnetic layers is in contact with one end of said free layer in a long-axis direction, and the other of said two magnetic layers is in contact with the other end of said free layer in said long-axis direction, wherein a substantially right angle is made between a magnetization direction of a center portion of said free layer and magnetization directions of two magnetic layers when external magnetic field is not applied to said magnetoresistive element, and wherein a magnetovolume of said first magnetic layer is substantially equal to that of said second magnetic layer.