| 摘要 |
A magnetoresistive element, and a method and an apparatus for manufacturing the same are provided to provide a CCP(Current-Confined-Path)-CPP(Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane) element with high MR(Magneto-Resistance) ratio. A magnetoresistive element includes a magnetic pinned layer with pinned magnetization direction, a magnetic free layer with magnetization direction varying according to an external magnetic field, an insulation layer provided between the magnetic pinned layer and the magnetic free layer, and a spacer layer(16) having a current path(21) penetrating into the insulation layer. According to a method for manufacturing the magnetoresistive element, a second metal layer is deposited on a first metal layer. The first metal layer acting as a current path is penetrated and absorbed into the second metal layer. The second metal layer is changed into the insulation layer by supplying an oxygen gas or a nitride gas. |
