Patent ID: 7944650

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element comprising an MR stack including a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a spacer layer disposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, wherein: a current for detecting magnetic signals is fed in a direction intersecting a plane of each of the foregoing layers; the MR stack has an outer surface; and the spacer layer has a periphery located in the outer surface of the MR stack; the magnetoresistive element further comprising a layered film that touches the periphery of the spacer layer, wherein: the spacer layer includes a semiconductor layer formed using an oxide semiconductor as a material; the layered film includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer stacked in this order; the first layer is formed of the same material as the semiconductor layer, and touches the periphery of the spacer layer; the second layer is a metal layer that forms a Schottky barrier at an interface between the first layer and the second layer; and the third layer is an insulating layer.