Patent ID: 7359162

Claim:
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a magnetization fixed layer in which a direction of magnetization is substantially fixed to one direction, the magnetization fixed layer having a first stacked body including a first non-magnetic film disposed between first ferromagnetic films, the first ferromagnetic films in the first stacked body being ferromagnetically coupled to each other in the first stacked body; a magnetization free layer in which a direction of magnetization varies in response to an external magnetic field, the magnetization free layer having a second stacked body including a second non-magnetic film disposed between second ferromagnetic films, the second ferromagnetic films in the second stacked body being ferromagnetically coupled to each other in the second stacked body; and a non-magnetic intermediate layer provided between the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization free layer, the first non-magnetic film in the first stacked body being thinner than the non-magnetic intermediate layer, the second non-magnetic film in the second stacked body being thinner than the non-magnetic intermediate layer, a resistance of the magnetoresistance effect element varying in accordance with a relative angle between the direction of magnetization of the magnetization fixed layer and the direction of magnetization of the magnetization free layer, and a sense current being flowed to the magnetization fixed layer, the non-magnetic intermediate layer and the magnetization free layer in a direction substantially perpendicular to surfaces of those layers.