Patent ID: 8665639

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element comprising: a first magnetic layer having a magnetization substantially perpendicular to a film plane, a direction of the magnetization being variable; a second magnetic layer having a magnetization substantially perpendicular to a film plane, a direction of the magnetization being invariable; and a first nonmagnetic layer between the first and second magnetic layer, wherein the first magnetic layer has a laminated structure of first and second ferromagnetic materials which are different from each other, the first ferromagnetic material is disposed between the first nonmagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic material, a magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer is changed by a current which passes through the first magnetic layer, the first nonmagnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy of the second ferromagnetic material is smaller than that of the first ferromagnetic material, and a film thickness of the first ferromagnetic material is thinner than that of the second ferromagnetic material.