Patent ID: 7266012

Claim:
A magnetoresistive effect element comprising: a magnetization free layer which comprises at least two magnetic layers subject to antiferromagnetic coupling and a non-magnetic layer provided between the magnetic layers and of which a magnetization direction is changeable, the non-magnetic layer comprising Ru, Rh, Ir or an alloy of them; a tunnel barrier layer provided on one surface of the magnetization free layer; a first magnetization pinned layer which is provided on an opposite surface of the tunnel barrier layer from the magnetization free layer and of which a magnetization direction is pinned; a non-magnetic metal layer provided on an opposite surface of the magnetization free layer from the tunnel barrier layer, the non-magnetic metal layer comprising Cu, Ag, Au, or an alloy of them; and a second magnetization pinned layer which is provided on an opposite surface of the non-magnetic metal layer from the magnetization free layer and of which a magnetization direction is pinned, the first and second magnetization pinned layers being substantially the same in magnetization direction.