SPIN VALVE ELEMENT AND ITS DRIVING METHOD AND STORAGE DEVICE EMPLOYING THEM

摘要

Provided is a spin valve element (1) capable of performing multi-value recording, which includes a pair of ferromagnetic layers 23 and 25 having different coercivities that sandwich an insulating layer 24 or a non-magnetic layer 51, wherein the ferromagnetic layer 25 having small coercivity has a substantially circular in-plane profile, and a plurality of island-shaped non-magnetic portions IN, I E , I W , and I S are included. In addition, a storage device (10) is manufactured by using such a spin valve element.