Patent ID: 6914757

Claim:
A magnetoresistance effect element comprising: a stacked film including a magnetization fixed layer in which the direction of magnetization is substantially fixed to one direction, and a magnetization free layer in which the direction of magnetization varies in accordance with an external magnetic field; and an electrode connected to a part of a principal plane of the stacked film, the magnetoresistance effect element having a resistance varying in response to a relative angle between the direction of magnetization in the magnetization fixed layer and the direction of magnetization in the magnetization free layer, the resistance being detected when a sense current is applied to the film planes of the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization free layer via the electrode in a direction substantially perpendicular to the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization free layer, the electrode comprising: a single pillar electrode portion substantially perpendicularly extending from the principal plane of the stacked film and having a sectional film area smaller than an area of the principal plane of the stacked film, and a feed portion connected to the single pillar electrode portion and extending from the single pillar electrode portion substantially in parallel to the principal plane of the stacked film, and the magnetoresistance effect element being configured such that the sense current flows only through the single pillar electrode portion.