Patent ID: 8213129

Claim:
A magnetoresistive element comprising: at least three metallic magnetic layers; at least two connection layers provided between the at least three metallic magnetic layers, each having an insulating layer and current confined paths comprising a metallic magnetic material penetrating the insulating layer; and electrodes which supply a current perpendicularly to a plane of a stacked film of the metallic magnetic layers and the connection layers, wherein a lowermost or uppermost metallic magnetic layer of the at least three metallic magnetic layers has magnetization pinned in a direction, the lowermost metallic magnetic layer and the uppermost metallic magnetic layer are magnetically coupled through the at least two connection layers and one or more intermediate metallic magnetic layers which are stacked alternately and sandwiched between the lowermost and uppermost metallic magnetic layers, and the magnetization direction of the lowermost metallic magnetic layer is orthogonal to that of the uppermost metallic magnetic layer at zero external field with the magnetization direction of the intermediate metallic magnetic layer shifted at an angle of more than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees relative to that of the lowermost metallic magnetic layer or the uppermost metallic magnetic layer, and wherein the current confined paths have a stacked structure of a metallic magnetic material and a nonmagnetic metal material.