Tunnel magnetoresistive element

Patent Granted PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tunnel magnetoresistive element in which an artificial characteristic manipulation of a tunnel magnetic resistance is possible. SOLUTION: In the tunnel magnetoresistive element having a basic structure in which an insulating film is sandwiched by two ferromagnetic films; a material having a composition containing at least one kind selected from among Co, Fe and Ni is used as the ferromagnetic films, and an oxide represented by a chemical formula Mg<SB>1-y</SB>X<SB>y</SB>O (X: one or two kinds selected from among Zn, Ca, Sr, Ba and Cd, 0<y<=1) is used as the insulating film.