Patent ID: 8031443

Claim:
A magneto-resistance effect element, comprising: a laminated body including a fixed magnetization layer of which a magnetization is substantially fixed in one direction, a free magnetization layer of which a magnetization is rotated in accordance with an external magnetic field, and an intermediate layer which is located between said fixed magnetization layer and said free magnetization layer; and a pair of electrodes for flowing a sense current perpendicular to a film surface of said laminated body, said electrodes being connected with a top surface and a bottom surface of said laminated body, respectively, wherein said intermediate layer contains an insulating portion, a magnetic metal portion penetrating through said insulating portion and a compound portion to cover at least a side surface of said magnetic metal portion; and wherein said compound portion contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ta, Hf, Y, Ga and Bi when said magnetic metal portion contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni or said compound portion contains Zr when said magnetic metal portion contains at least one element of the group consisting of Co and Ni.