A magnetoresistive effect element includes: a first ferromagnetic layer; a second ferromagnetic layer; and a non-magnetic layer provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, wherein the non-magnetic layer includes a first layer and a second layer, and wherein a lattice constant α of the first layer and a lattice constant β of the second layer satisfy a relationship of β−0.04×α≤2×α≤β+0.04 ×α.

A magnetic sensor device includes at least one magnetic sensor and a support. A center of gravity of an element layout area of the at least one magnetic sensor is deviated from a center of gravity of a reference plane of the support. The at least one magnetic sensor includes four resistor sections constituted by a plurality of magnetoresistive elements. Magnetization of a free layer in each of two of the resistor sections includes a component in a third magnetization direction. The magnetization of a free layer in each of the other two resistor sections includes a component in a fourth magnetization direction opposite to the third magnetization direction.

Magnetic angular sensor element destined to sense an external magnetic field, including a magnetic tunnel junction containing a ferromagnetic pinned layer having a pinned magnetization, a ferromagnetic sensing layer, and a tunnel magnetoresistance barrier layer; the ferromagnetic sensing layer including a first sensing layer being in direct contact with the barrier layer and having a first sensing magnetization, a second sensing layer having a second sense magnetization, and a metallic spacer between the first sensing layer and the second sensing layer; wherein the metallic spacer is configured to provide an antiferromagnetic coupling between the first sensing magnetization and the second sensing magnetization such that the first sensing magnetization is oriented substantially antiparallel to the second sensing magnetization; the second sensing magnetization being larger than the first sensing magnetization, such that the second sensing magnetization is oriented in accordance with the direction of the external magnetic field.

An exchange-coupled film includes a antiferromagnetic layer and a pinned magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic layer stacked together, the antiferromagnetic layer having a structure including an IrMn layer, a first PtMn layer, a PtCr layer, and a second PtMn layer stacked in that order, the IrMn layer being in contact with the pinned magnetic layer. The second PtMn layer preferably has a thickness of more than 0 Å and less than 60 Å, in some cases. The PtCr layer preferably has a thickness of 100 Å or more, in some cases. The antiferromagnetic layer preferably has a total thickness of 200 Å or less, in some cases.

A magnetoresistance effect element and a Heusler alloy in which a state change due to annealing does not easily occur. The element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic layer positioned between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, in which at least one of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer is a Heusler alloy in which a portion of elements of an alloy represented by Co.sub.2Fe.sub.αZ.sub.β is substituted with a substitution element, in which Z is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ga, Ge, and Sn, α and β satisfy 2.3≤α+β, α<β, and 0.5<α<1.9, and the substitution element is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of elements having a melting point higher than that of Fe among elements of Groups 4 to 10.

A current sensing system, comprising at least one magnetic tunnel junction device placed adjacent to a current carrying conductor electrically connected to a battery of a vehicle. The magnetic tunnel junction device is configured to measure a magnetic field around the conductor. A monitoring device is operatively connected to the magnetic tunnel junction device, wherein the monitoring device is configured to receive the magnetic field measurement and determine an estimate of the current flowing through the conductor.

An external field response distribution visualization device includes: an induction circuit that induces a first field component from each of induction positions; a sensor that senses a field strength at sensing positions for each of the induction positions; and an information processing circuit that generates an image showing an external field response distribution. The information processing circuit: calculates, using the sensing result as a boundary condition, an induction position dependent field function that takes an induction and sensing positions as inputs and outputs the field strength; calculates an imaging function that takes an imaging target position as an input and outputs an image intensity, and is defined based on the strength output from the induction position dependent field function in response to inputting the imaging target position; and generates the image based on the imaging function.

A light detection element includes: a plurality of magnetic elements, wherein each of the magnetic elements includes a first ferromagnetic layer that is irradiated with light and a second ferromagnetic layer and a spacer layer sandwiched between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, and wherein at least two of the magnetic elements are arranged to be inside a spot of the light applied to the first ferromagnetic layers of the at least two of the magnetic elements.

A magnetoresistive Z-axis gradient sensor chip, which is used to detect the gradient in the XY plane of a Z-axis magnetic field component generated by a magnetic medium; the sensor chip comprises a Si substrate, a collection of two or two groups of flux guide devices separated a distance Lg and an arrangement of electrically interconnected magnetoresistive sensor units. The magnetoresistive sensor units are located on the Si substrate and located above or below the edge of the flux guide devices as well; the flux guide devices convert the component of the Z-axis magnetic field into the direction parallel to the surface of the Si substrate along the sensing axis direction of the magnetoresistive sensing units. The magnetoresistive sensor units are electrically interconnected into a half bridge or a full bridge gradiometer arrangement, wherein the opposite bridge arms are separated by distance Lg. This sensor chip can be utilized with a PCB or in combination with a PCB plus back-bias magnet with casing. The sensor measures the Z-axis magnetic field gradient by using magnetoresistive sensors with in-plane sensing axes. This sensor chip has several advantages relative to a Hall Effect sensor device, including smaller size, lower power consumption, and higher magnetic field sensitivity.

A magnetic card reader comprising a groove for shifting of a magnetic card and a magnetic read head mounted on a first printed-circuit board so as to enable reading of a magnetic stripe of the magnetic card. The magnetic read head has a tunnel magnetoresistance sensor called a TMR magnetic sensor positioned in a recess of a side wall of the groove.