EXCHANGE COUPLED FILM, AND MAGNETORESISTANCE EFFECT ELEMENT AND MAGNETISM DETECTION DEVICE USING SAME

摘要

An exchange-coupled film 10 according to the present invention includes an antiferromagnetic layer 2, pinned magnetic layer 3, and free magnetic layer 5 which are stacked. The antiferromagnetic layer 2 is composed of a PtCr sublayer 2A and an XMn sublayer 2B (where X is Pt or Ir). The XMn sublayer 2B is in contact with the pinned magnetic layer 3. The PtCr sublayer 2A is PtCr(α is 44 at% to 58 at%) when the XMn sublayer 2B is placed on the PtCr sublayer 2A or is PtCr(α is 44 at% to 57 at%) when the XMn sublayer 2B is placed on the pinned magnetic layer 3. Therefore, the exchange-coupled film 10 exhibits such a high magnetic field (Hex) that the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer 3 is reversed and also exhibits high stability under high-temperature conditions.