Patent ID: 8305801

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element comprising: a first ferromagnetic layer having an axis of easy magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane; a second ferromagnetic layer having an axis of easy magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane; a nonmagnetic layer placed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer; a first interfacial magnetic layer placed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the nonmagnetic layer; and a second interfacial magnetic layer placed between the second ferromagnetic layer and the nonmagnetic layer, the first interfacial magnetic layer including a first interfacial magnetic film, a second interfacial magnetic film placed between the first interfacial magnetic film and the nonmagnetic layer and having a different composition from that of the first interfacial magnetic film, and a first nonmagnetic film placed between the first interfacial magnetic film and the second interfacial magnetic film, the first interfacial magnetic film being in contact with the first ferromagnetic layer, the second interfacial magnetic film being in contact with the nonmagnetic layer, and a magnetization direction of the first ferromagnetic layer being changeable by a current flowing between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer through the nonmagnetic layer, and a magnetization direction of the second ferromagnetic layer being not changeable by the current.