Patent ID: 8680632

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element comprising: a base layer; a first magnetic layer formed on the base layer, and including a first magnetic film having an axis of easy magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane, the first magnetic film including Mn x Ga 100 - x (45 x <64 atomic %); a first nonmagnetic layer formed on the first magnetic layer; and a second magnetic layer formed on the first nonmagnetic layer, and including a second magnetic film having an axis of easy magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane, the second magnetic film including Mn y Ga 100-y (45 y <64 atomic %), the first and second magnetic layers comprising different Mn composition rates from each other, the first magnetic layer having a smaller Mn concentration than the second magnetic layer, a magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer being changeable and a magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer being unchangeable.