Patent ID: 6970333

Claim:
A layer system ( 2 ) having an increased magnetoresistive effect, comprising at least one detection layer ( 7 ) made from a soft-magnetic material, at least one decoupling layer ( 6 ) which bears against the detection layer ( 7 ) and is made from a nonmagnetic material, and at least one layer part-system ( 5 ) which is spaced apart from the detection layer ( 7 ) by the decoupling layer ( 6 ), forms an artificial antiferromagnet, is decoupled from the detection layer ( 7 ) and a) includes at least one second ferromagnetic layer ( 12 ), which adjoins the decoupling layer ( 6 ), and b) at least one first ferromagnetic layer ( 11 ), which b1) is antiferromagnetically coupled to the second ferromagnetic layer ( 12 ) via a coupling layer ( 13 ) made from nonmagnetic material, b2) is provided, on its side facing away from the coupling layer ( 13 ), with an antiferromagnetic additional layer ( 14 ), to which it is exchange-coupled, b3) has a material composition which differs from the second ferromagnetic layer ( 12 ) b4) is magnetically harder than the second ferromagnetic layer ( 12 ); the first ferromagnetic layer ( 11 ) consists of a CoFe alloy with in relative terms a lower Co content than the second ferromagnetic layer ( 12 ); and wherein the Co content of the first ferromagnetic layer ( 11 ) is less than 60 atomic %.