Patent ID: 7382643

Claim:
A magnetoresistive effect element comprising: a first pinned magnetic layer having a multilayered synthetic antiferromagnet (SAF) structure formed of a plurality of ferromagnetic layers stacked with a nonmagnetic layer formed therebetween; a first nonmagnetic spacer layer formed on the first pinned magnetic layer; a free magnetic layer formed on the first nonmagnetic spacer layer and including an odd number of ferromagnetic layers; a second nonmagnetic spacer layer formed on the free magnetic layer; and a second pinned magnetic layer formed on the second nonmagnetic spacer layer and having a multilayered SAF structure formed of a plurality of ferromagnetic layers stacked with a nonmagnetic layer formed therebetween, a magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic layer of the first pinned magnetic layer, which is nearest the free magnetic layer, and a magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic layer of the second pinned magnetic layer, which is nearest the free magnetic layer, being opposite to each other, wherein a magnetic moment of the first pinned magnetic layer is smaller than a value of 1/10 of a minimum value of respective magnetic moments of said plurality of ferromagnetic layers of the first pinned magnetic layer, and a magnetic moment of the second pinned magnetic layer is smaller than a value of 1/10 of the minimum value of respective magnetic moments of said plurality of ferromagnetic layers of the second pinned magnetic layer.