Patent ID: 6954341

Claim:
A magneto-resistive magnetic sensor, comprising: a magneto-resistive structure changing a resistance thereof in response to an external magnetic field, a cap layer, provided on a top surface of said magneto-resistive structure; a pair of domain-controlling magnetic regions disposed at both lateral sides of said magneto-resistive structure, said domain-controlling magnetic regions having a magnetization pointing in a common direction; a pair of electrodes provided on said pair of domain-controlling magnetic regions so as to extend on a top surface of said magneto-resistive structure and so as to oppose each other across a central part of said magneto-resistive structure, said electrodes having respective overhang parts extending over said magneto-resistive structure so as to oppose each other with a gap therebetween, said pair of electrodes injecting a sensing current into said magneto-resistive structure primarily via said top surface of said magneto-resistive structure, wherein each of said overhang parts covers said cap layer on said magneto-resistive structure in such a state that an oxidation-resistant conductive layer is interposed between said cap layer and said overhang part, said pair of domain-controlling magnetic regions having a coercive force exceeding a coercive force of a ferromagnetic layer used in said magneto-resistive structure as a free layer, and said oxidation-resistant conductive layer having a substantially uniform thickness.