Patent ID: 7268978

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; 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 the nonmagnetic material layer; a first magnetostriction-enhancing layer made of a nonmagnetic metal, disposed on the surface opposite to the nonmagnetic material layer of the first magnetic layer; and a second magnetostriction-enhancing layer made of a nonmagnetic metal, disposed between the second magnetic layer and the nonmagnetic material layer, in contact with the second magnetic layer, wherein the upper surface and the lower surface of the pinned magnetic layer lie between the first magnetostriction-enhancing layer and the second magnetostriction-enhancing layer; at least part of crystals in the first magnetostriction-enhancing layer and the first magnetic layer and at least part of crystals in the second magnetostriction-enhancing 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.