Importance

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Abstract

A magnetoresistive effect element is provided that exhibits a low writing current density while maintaining a high TMR ratio. A laminated structure of a second ferromagnetic layer/a non-magnetic layer/a first ferromagnetic layer is employed as a recording layer. A material of bcc crystalline structure, such as CoFeB, is employed as a second ferromagnetic layer being in contact with MgO barrier layer. A material whose anisotropy field Hk_⊥ in the perpendicular direction is large and that satisfies the relationship of 2πrM_sk⊥<4πM_s is employed as a first ferromagnetic layer. Although a magnetic easy axis of the first ferromagnetic layer lies in-plane, it has a high perpendicular anisotropy field of half or more of the demagnetizing field in the perpendicular direction. Therefore, the effective demagnetizing field in the perpendicular direction is reduced, and a writing current density can be reduced. Further, a high TMR ratio can be maintained because a material of a bcc crystalline structure comes in contact with the MgO barrier layer.

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First Claim