Magnetoresistive element and magnetic memory

A magnetoresistive element comprising:

• a free layer which contains a magnetic material and has an fct crystal structure with a (001) plane oriented, the free layer having a magnetization which is perpendicular to a film plane and has a direction to be changeable by spin-polarized electrons;
• a first nonmagnetic layer and a second nonmagnetic layer which sandwich the free layer and have one of a tetragonal crystal structure and a cubic crystal structure;
• a first fixed layer which is provided on a surface of the first nonmagnetic layer opposite to a surface with the free layer and contains a magnetic material, the first fixed layer having a magnetization which is perpendicular to a film plane and has a fixed direction;
• and
• a second fixed layer which is provided on a surface of the second nonmagnetic layer opposite to a surface with the free layer and contains a magnetic material, the second fixed layer having a magnetization which is perpendicular to a film plane and has a fixed direction,
• wherein the first nonmagnetic layer has a resistance value different from that of the second nonmagnetic layer.

A magnetic memory comprising a memory cell including a magnetoresistive element, and a first electrode and a second electrode which sandwich the magnetoresistive element and through which a current is supplied to the magnetoresistive element,

• the magnetoresistive element including:
• a free layer which contains a magnetic material and has an fct crystal structure with a (001) plane oriented, the free layer having a magnetization which is perpendicular to a film plane and has a direction to be changeable by spin-polarized electrons;
• a first nonmagnetic layer and a second nonmagnetic layer which sandwich the free layer and have one of a tetragonal crystal structure and a cubic crystal structure;
• and
• a fixed layer which is provided on only one side of the free layer and on a surface of the first nonmagnetic layer opposite to a surface with the free layer and contains a magnetic material, the fixed layer having a magnetization which is perpendicular to a film plane and has a fixed direction.