Exemplary embodiments are directed to magnetoresistive sensors and corresponding fabrication methods for magnetoresistive sensors. One example of a magnetoresistive sensor includes a layer stack, wherein the layer stack includes a reference layer having a fixed reference magnetization, wherein the fixed reference magnetization has a first magnetic orientation. The layer stack furthermore includes a magnetically free system of a plurality of layers, wherein the magnetically free system has a magnetically free magnetization, wherein the magnetically free magnetization is variable in the presence of an external magnetic field, and wherein the magnetically free magnetization has a second magnetic orientation in a ground state. The magnetically free system has two ferromagnetic layers and an interlayer, wherein the interlayer is arranged between the two ferromagnetic layers and includes magnesium oxide. The layer stack furthermore includes a barrier layer, which is arranged between the reference layer and the magnetically free system and includes magnesium oxide.

A magnetoresistance element assembly has two stacks of material layers with respective reference layers and respective bias layers that have relative magnetic directions that are not perpendicular to each other. Bias layers in the two stacks have bias magnetic directions that oppose each other. Linear range is increased.

A magnetoresistance element (e.g. a spin valve) for detecting a changing magnetic field includes a pinning layer, pinned layer adjacent to the pinning layer, a spacer layer adjacent to the pinned layer, and a free layer adjacent to the spacer layer and arranged so that the spacer layer is between the pinned layer and the free layer. The pinned layer has a bias with a bias direction configured to reduce an effect of a static field on the detection of the changing magnetic field.

A magnetoresistance element has a pinning arrangement with two antiferromagnetic pinning layers, two pinned layers, and a free layer. A spacer layer between one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers and the free layer has a material selected to allow a controllable partial pinning by the one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers.

According to one embodiment, an oscillator includes first to third conductive bodies, a first stacked unit, and a magnetic unit. The first conductive body includes first, second region, and third regions. The second conductive body includes a portion separated from the third region. The first stacked unit is provided between the third region and the portion. The first stacked unit includes first to fourth magnetic layers, and first to third intermediate layers. At least a portion of the magnetic unit and at least a portion of the first stacked unit overlap each other. In a first state, the first to fourth magnetizations are aligned with a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. The second magnetization has a component in a reverse orientation of the first magnetization. The fourth magnetization has a component in a reverse orientation of the third magnetization.

A nonvolatile magnetic memory device having a magnetoresistance-effect element includes: (A) a laminated structure having a recording layer in which an axis of easy magnetization is oriented in a perpendicular direction; (B) a first wiring line electrically connected to a lower part of the laminated structure; and (C) a second wiring line electrically connected to an upper part of the laminated structure, wherein a high Young's modulus region having a Young's modulus of a higher value than that of a Young's modulus of a material forming the recording layer is provided close to a side surface of the laminated structure.

A nonvolatile magnetic memory device having a magnetoresistance-effect element includes: (A) a laminated structure having a recording layer in which an axis of easy magnetization is oriented in a perpendicular direction; (B) a first wiring line electrically connected to a lower part of the laminated structure; and (C) a second wiring line electrically connected to an upper part of the laminated structure, wherein a high Young's modulus region having a Young's modulus of a higher value than that of a Young's modulus of a material forming the recording layer is provided close to a side surface of the laminated structure.

A magnetoresistance element has a pinning arrangement with two antiferromagnetic pinning layers, two pinned layers, and a free layer. A spacer layer between one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers and the free layer has a material selected to allow a controllable partial pinning by the one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers.

A magnetoresistance element has a pinning arrangement with two antiferromagnetic pinning layers, two pinned layers, and a free layer. A spacer layer between one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers and the free layer has a material selected to allow a controllable partial pinning by the one of the two antiferromagnetic pinning layers.

A device based on a spin Hall effect and spin-transfer torque (STT) effect is provided to include a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) element including a free magnetic layer structured to have a magnetization direction that can be changed by spin-transfer torque; an electrically conducting magnetic layer structure exhibiting a spin Hall effect (SHE) and, in response to an applied in-plane charge current, generating a spin-polarized current of a magnetic moment oriented in a predetermined direction having both an in-plane magnetic moment component parallel to a surface of the electrically conducting magnetic layer structure and a perpendicular magnetic moment component perpendicular to the surface of the electrically conducting magnetic layer structure. The magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer is capable of being switched by the spin-polarized current via a spin-transfer torque (STT) effect. This device can be configured in a 3-terminal configuration.