Magnetoresistance effect element having a nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a two-dimensional fluctuation of resistance

A magnetoresistance effect element comprising:

• a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer, the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low and configured to have the sense current preferentially flow through the second regions when a sense current passes the first layer;
• and
• a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film and configured to supply the sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film,
• wherein the first layer includes an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of boron (B), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), phosphorous (P), vanadium (V), antimony (Sb), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), gallium (Ga), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and rare earth metals, and further includes an element selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os), in a range from 1 atomic % to 50 atomic %.

A magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistance effect element having:

• a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• and
• a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film,
• the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low, and
• the sense current preferentially flowing through the second regions when the current passes the first layer,
• wherein a composition of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer changes continuously at a boundary between the first and second regions.

A magnetic reproducing apparatus which reads information magnetically recorded in a magnetic recording medium,

• the magnetic reproducing apparatus comprising a magnetic head having a magnetoresistance effect element including:
• a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• and
• a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film,
• the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low, and
• the sense current preferentially flowing through the second regions when the current passes the first layer,
• wherein a composition of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer changes continuously at a boundary between the first and second regions.

A magnetic memory comprising a plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements arranged in a matrix fashion,

• the magnetoresistance effect elements each including:
• a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• and
• a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film,
• the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low, and
• the sense current preferentially flowing through the second regions when the current passes the first layer,
• wherein a composition of the nonmagnetic intermediate layer changes continuously at a boundary between the first and second regions.

A magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistance effect element having:

• a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• and
• a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film,
• the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low, and
• the sense current preferentially flowing through the second regions when the current passes the first layer,
• wherein the first layer includes an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of boron (B), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), phosphorous (P), vanadium (V), antimony (Sb), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), gallium (Ga), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and rare earth metals, and further includes an element selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os), in a range from 1 atomic % to 50 atomic %.

A magnetic reproducing apparatus which reads information magnetically recorded in a magnetic recording medium,

• the magnetic reproducing apparatus comprising a magnetic head having a magnetoresistance effect element including:
• a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• and
• a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film,
• the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low, and
• the sense current preferentially flowing through the second regions when the current passes the first layer,
• wherein the first layer includes an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of boron (B), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), phosphorous (P), vanadium (V), antimony (Sb), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), gallium (Ga), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and rare earth metals, and further includes an element selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os), in a range from 1 atomic % to 50 atomic %.

A magnetic memory comprising a plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements arranged in a matrix fashion,

• the magnetoresistance effect element including:
• a magnetoresistance effect film including a magnetically pinned layer whose direction of magnetization is pinned substantially in one direction, a magnetically free layer whose direction of magnetization changes in response to an external magnetic field, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer located between the pinned layer and the free layer;
• and
• a pair of electrodes electrically coupled to the magnetoresistance effect film to supply a sense current perpendicularly to a film plane of the magnetoresistance effect film,
• the nonmagnetic intermediate layer having a first layer including a first region whose resistance is relatively high and second regions whose resistance is relatively low, and
• the sense current preferentially flowing through the second regions when the current passes the first layer,
• wherein the first layer includes an oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of boron (B), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), phosphorous (P), vanadium (V), antimony (Sb), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), gallium (Ga), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and rare earth metals, and further includes an element selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os), in a range from 1 atomic % to 50 atomic %.