Patent ID: 7898775

Claim:
A magnetoresistive device comprising: a magnetoresistive element having a resistance that changes in response to an external magnetic field, the magnetoresistive element including a magnetosensitive layer having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to the external magnetic field; and a bias magnetic field applying layer that applies to the magnetosensitive layer a bias magnetic field for bringing the magnetosensitive layer into a single magnetic domain state in the absence of any external magnetic field applied thereto, wherein the magnetoresistive element has a side surface that includes a side surface of the magnetosensitive layer, and the bias magnetic field applying layer is disposed adjacent to the side surface of the magnetoresistive element, the bias magnetic field applying layer includes: a nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first surface and a second surface that face toward opposite directions; a first magnetic layer disposed adjacent to the first surface of the intermediate layer; and a second magnetic layer disposed adjacent to the second surface of the intermediate layer, the first and second magnetic layers being antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled to each other, and the direction of magnetization of the first magnetic layer and that of the second magnetic layer are opposite to each other.