| US 7,499,249 B2 | ||
| Spin valve-GMR element in which a non-metal laminate layer is provided as a free magnetic layer and method of manufacturing the same | ||
| Yosuke Ide, Niigata-ken (Japan); Masamichi Saito, Niigata-ken (Japan); Masahiko Ishizone, Niigata-ken (Japan); and Naoya Hasegawa, Niigata-ken (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to TDK Corporation, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Apr. 24, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/409,879. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2005-132437 (JP), filed on Apr. 28, 2005; and application No. 2005-132460 (JP), filed on Apr. 28, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0262460 A1, Nov. 23, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G11B 5/39 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 360—324.12 | 35 Claims |
| 1. A magnetic detecting element comprising:
a pinned magnetic layer wherein the magnetization direction is pinned,
a free magnetic layer formed on the pinned magnetic layer;
wherein a non-magnetic material layer is disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer, and
wherein the magnetization direction is changed by an external magnetic field,
wherein the free magnetic layer has a CoMnXZ alloy layer made of metal compound represented by a composition formula of CogMnhXiZj (element X is at least one element or two elements of Ge, Ga, In, Si, Pb, and Zn, element Z is at least one element or two
elements of Al, Sn, and Cr, g, h, i, and j are atomic %, and g+h+i+j=100 atomic %), and
wherein the composition ratio of the element Z is modulated from the bottom to the top of the CoMnXZ alloy layer.
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