Patent ID: 6917499

Claim:
A magnetoresistive film comprising: a soft magnetic free layer; a ferromagnetic pinned layer; and a non-magnetic layer interposed between the soft magnetic free layer and the ferromagnetic pinned layer such that the magnetization of said ferromagnetic pinned layer is fixed with respect to a magnetic field to be detected; wherein the magnetoresistance of the magnetoresistive film changes upon application of a detecting current across said soft magnetic free layer and said ferromagnetic pinned layer through said non-magnetic layer, with the absolute value of the ratio of change in magnetoresistance of said magnetoresistive film having a peak greater than 20% and with a bias voltage applied across said ferromagnetic pinned layer and said soft magnetic free layer being in the range from +0.2 to +0.8 V and from −0.8 to −0.2 V.