Patent ID: 7027272

Claim:
A magneto-resistive effect element comprising: a magneto-resistive effect element body and a hard magnetic layer for applying a bias magnetic field to said magneto-resistive effect element body disposed between opposing first and second magnetic shields, each of the magnetic shields made of a soft magnetic material; the magneto-resistive effect element body having a lamination layer film oriented in a film plane direction parallel with said first and second magnetic shields, the lamination layer film comprising: a free layer the magnetization of which is rotated in response to an external magnetic field; a fixed layer; an antiferromagnetic layer; and a spacer layer interposed between said free layer and said fixed layer; the hard magnetic layer being formed in two portions disposed at positions opposite respective side end portions of said free layer; the magnet-resistive effect element configured such that a sense current flows to said magneto-resistive effect element body in the direction intersecting the film plane direction of said lamination layer film and a detection magnetic field is introduced in the direction extending along the film plane direction of said lamination layer film, said bias magnetic field is applied in substantially the direction intersecting the direction in which said detection magnetic field is introduced and in the direction extending along said film plane direction and directions of magnetic fields substantially applied to the front end and the rear end of the side into which said detection magnetic field is introduced are set to the same direction in said free layer under the condition that said detection magnetic field is not applied to said magneto-resistive effect element.