Patent ID: 7952839

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element to be disposed between a pair of shields, comprising: a detection surface that receives a magnetic field to be detected; a first ferromagnetic layer; a second ferromagnetic layer whose magnetization changes its direction in response to an external magnetic field; a spacer layer made of a nonmagnetic material and disposed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers; and an antiferromagnetic layer disposed on a side of the first ferromagnetic layer farther from the spacer layer and exchange-coupled to the first ferromagnetic layer, wherein: the first ferromagnetic layer, the second ferromagnetic layer and the spacer layer extend in a direction intersecting the detection surface; each of the second ferromagnetic layer and the spacer layer has an end face located in the detection surface; the antiferromagnetic layer is disposed away from the detection surface; the first ferromagnetic layer includes: a first portion having an end face located in the detection surface and a rear end opposite to the end face; and a second portion located away from the detection surface and connected to the rear end of the first portion; the first portion has a first surface touching the spacer layer, and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface and that does not touch the antiferromagnetic layer; the second portion has a third surface touching the antiferromagnetic layer, and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface; and a distance extending normally from the first surface to the second surface is smaller than a distance extending normally from the third surface to a plane corresponding to an imaginary extension of the first surface.