Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Daisuki Watanbe

Toshihiko Nagase

Tadashi Kai

Katsuya Nishiyama

Koji Ueda

A magnetoresistive element includes a first magnetic layer having an axis of magnetization perpendicular to the film surface and a fixed magnetization orientation; a second magnetic layer having an axis of magnetization perpendicular to the film surface and a changeable magnetization orientation; a first nonmagnetic layer arranged between the first and second magnetic layers; and a third magnetic layer having an axis of magnetization perpendicular to the film surface and a fixed magnetization orientation opposite that of the first magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer has a first magnetic material film in contact with the first nonmagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic material film in contact with the first magnetic material film, and a second magnetic material film containing Co-xWx (0&#x3c;x&#x3c;40 at %) and in contact with the nonmagnetic material film. As current flows via the nonmagnetic layer, the magnetization orientation of the second magnetic layer changes.

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Yamanashi, Japan

Daisuki Watanbe