A spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device includes: a spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element including a magnetoresistance effect element part and a spin-orbit torque wiring; and a controller electrically connected to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element. In a portion in which the magnetoresistance effect element part and the spin-orbit torque wiring are bonded, an STT inversion current flowing through the magnetoresistance effect element part and an SOT inversion current flowing through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are divided, and the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for applying the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element at the same time as an application of the SOT inversion current or a time application of the SOT inversion current.

An apparatus is provided which comprises: a magnetic junction including: a stack of structures including: a first structure comprising a magnet with an unfixed perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) relative to an x-y plane of a device, wherein the first structure has a first dimension along the x-y plane and a second dimension in the z-plane, wherein the second dimension is substantially greater than the first dimension. The magnetic junction includes a second structure comprising one of a dielectric or metal; and a third structure comprising a magnet with fixed PMA, wherein the third structure has an anisotropy axis perpendicular to the plane of the device, and wherein the third structure is adjacent to the second structure such that the second structure is between the first and third structures; and an interconnect adjacent to the third structure, wherein the interconnect comprises a spin orbit material.

A magnetoresistance effect element is provided in which a MR ratio is not likely to decrease even at a high bias voltage. A magnetoresistance effect element according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a first ferromagnetic metal layer; a second ferromagnetic metal layer; a tunnel barrier layer that is provided between the first ferromagnetic metal layer and the second ferromagnetic metal layer, in which the tunnel barrier layer is formed of a non-magnetic oxide having a cubic crystal structure represented by a compositional formula A.sub.1-xA.sub.xO (A represents a divalent cation, and A represents a trivalent cation), a space group of the crystal structure is any one selected from the group consisting of Pm3m, I-43m, and Pm-3m, and the number of A ions is more than the number of A ions in a primitive lattice of the crystal structure.

A magnetoresistance effect element has a first ferromagnetic metal layer, a second ferromagnetic metal layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, and a tunnel barrier layer that is sandwiched between the first and second ferromagnetic metal layers, the tunnel barrier layer is expressed by a composition formula of AB.sub.2O.sub.x (0<x4), and has a spinel structure in which cations are arranged in a disordered manner, the tunnel barrier layer has a lattice-matched portion and a lattice-mismatched portion, A is a divalent cation of plural non-magnetic elements, B is an aluminum ion, and in the composition formula, the number of the divalent cation is smaller than half the number of the aluminum ion.

A magnetoresistance effect device includes a magnetoresistance effect element, and an external magnetic field application unit for applying an external magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element. The magnetoresistance effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a spacer layer. The external magnetic field application unit includes a magnetization retention section and a magnetization setting section. The magnetization setting section has a function of setting a magnetization to be used to generate the external magnetic field into the magnetization retention section by applying a magnetization-setting magnetic field to the magnetization retention section and then stopping the application of the magnetization-setting magnetic field. The magnetization retention section has a function of retaining the set magnetization after the application of the magnetization-setting magnetic field is stopped.

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a film portion, one or more detectors fixed to the film portion, and a processor. The detector includes first and second detecting elements. The first detecting element includes a first magnetic layer. The second detecting element includes a second magnetic layer. A first change rate of a first signal is higher than a second change rate of the first signal. The first signal corresponds to a first electrical resistance of the first detecting element. A change rate of a second signal with respect to the change of the magnitude of the strain is higher than the second change rate. The second signal corresponds to a second electrical resistance of the second detecting element. The processor is configured to perform at least a first operation of outputting a second value. The second value is based on the second signal and a first value.

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a film portion, one or more detectors fixed to the film portion, and a processor. The detector includes first and second detecting elements. The first detecting element includes a first magnetic layer. The second detecting element includes a second magnetic layer. A first change rate of a first signal is higher than a second change rate of the first signal. The first signal corresponds to a first electrical resistance of the first detecting element. A change rate of a second signal with respect to the change of the magnitude of the strain is higher than the second change rate. The second signal corresponds to a second electrical resistance of the second detecting element. The processor is configured to perform at least a first operation of outputting a second value. The second value is based on the second signal and a first value.

At least one magnetoresistance effect element and a magnetic field applying unit to apply a magnetic field to the magnetoresistance effect element, the magnetic field applying unit includes a first ferromagnetic material having a portion protruding to the magnetoresistance effect element side in a stacking direction of the magnetoresistance effect element, a second ferromagnetic material sandwiching the magnetoresistance effect element with the first ferromagnetic material, and a coil wound around the first ferromagnetic material, a first magnetization free layer of the magnetoresistance effect element has a portion free of overlapping with at least one of a second surface of the protruding portion on the magnetoresistance effect element side and a third surface of the second ferromagnetic material on the magnetoresistance effect when viewed in the stacking direction, and a center of gravity of the first magnetization free layer, positioned in a region connecting the second surface and the third surface.

A magnetoresistance effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a tunnel barrier layer that is interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer. The tunnel barrier layer is a stacked body including one or more first oxide layers having a spinel structure and one or more second oxide layers having a spinel structure with a composition which is different from a composition of the first oxide layer.

A spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect device includes: a spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element including a magnetoresistance effect element part and a spin-orbit torque wiring; and a controller electrically connected to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element. In a portion in which the magnetoresistance effect element part and the spin-orbit torque wiring are bonded, an STT inversion current flowing through the magnetoresistance effect element part and an SOT inversion current flowing through the spin-orbit torque wiring merge or are divided, and the controller is configured to be capable of performing control for applying the STT inversion current to the spin current assisted magnetoresistance effect element at the same time as an application of the SOT inversion current or a time application of the SOT inversion current.