Patent ID: 7553561

Claim:
A rare earth magnet that has a magnet body containing a rare earth element and a protective film disposed on the magnet body, the protective film consisting of a three-layer structure comprising: a first protective film that is in a microcrystalline state; a second protective film that is in a columnar crystal state and has a larger mean crystal size than that of the first protective film; and a third protective film that is in a microcrystalline state and has a smaller mean crystal grain size than that of the second protective film; wherein: the first protective film, the second protective film and the third protective film are disposed sequentially from the side of the magnet body; the first protective film as an undermost layer covers a surface of the magnet body and is covered by the second protective film; the second protective film as an intermediate layer covers a surface of the first protective film and is covered by the third protective film; the third protective film as an uppermost layer covers a surface of the second protective film and is exposed; the first protective film and the third protective film have a mean crystal grain size of 0.5 μm or less; and the second protective film has a mean crystal grain size of 2 μm or more in the major axis direction and has a mean crystal grain size of 1 μm or less in the minor axis direction.