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AssigneeAlps Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsYukie Nakazawa, Masamichi Saito, Naoya Hasegawa, Akihiro Makino
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A second antiferromagnetic layer formed on a free magnetic layer has a blocking temperature lower than that of a first antiferromagnetic layer. The exchange anisotropic magnetic field between the free magnetic layer and the second antiferromagnetic layer is smaller than the exchange anisotropic magnetic field between the first antiferromagnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer. By applying an annealing treatment utilizing the blocking temperature difference between the first and second antiferromagnetic layers, the magnetization direction and the strength of the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer can be controlled appropriately.
A spin-valve magnetoresistive element comprising a free magnetic layer and a pinned magnetic layer via a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer, a first antiferromagnetic layer contacting with the pinned magnetic layer for fixing the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer by a first exchange anisotropic magnetic field, and a second antiferromagnetic layer contacting with the free magnetic layer for aligning the magnetization of the free magnetic layer orthogonal to the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer by a second exchange anisotropic magnetic field, wherein the first antiferromagnetic layer has a blocking temperature higher than that of the second antiferromagnetic layer, and the first exchange anisotropic magnetic field between the first antiferromagnetic layer and the pinned magnetic layer is larger than the second exchange anisotropic magnetic field between the second antiferromagnetic layer and the free magnetic layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.