Patent ID: 7764470

Claim:
A magneto-resistance effect element, comprising: a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction; a free layer having a magnetization direction variable depending on an external magnetic field; a non-magnetic spacer layer provided between said pinned layer and said free layer, said spacer layer including first and second non-magnetic metal layers which comprise CuPt and a semiconductor layer which comprises ZnO and is disposed between said first and second non-magnetic metal layers wherein said semiconductor layer which comprises ZnO has a thickness ranging from a minimum of 1.0 nm to a maximum of 2.5 nm, CuPt which is included in said first and second non-magnetic metal layers has a thickness of more than 0 nm but no more than 2.0 nm, and contains Pt ranging from a minimum of 5 at % to a maximum of 25 at % so that Pt prevents Cu from diffusing toward ZnO of said semiconductor layer, in said first and second non-magnetic metal layers which comprise CuPt, and said magneto-resistance effect element has an RA value in the range from minimum of 0.10 μΩ·cm 2 to a maximum of 0.20 μΩ·cm 2 .