Patent ID: 7339769

Claim:
An antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled structure in a magnetic device of the type having a substrate and a plurality of ferromagnetic layers, the structure being formed on the substrate and comprising: an underlayer formed of a substantially-chemically-ordered alloy having a tetragonal crystalline structure, the alloy selected from the group consisting of alloys of AuCu, FePt, FePd, AgTi3, Pt Zn, PdZn, IrV, CoPt and PdCd, said underlayer alloy further comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of Pd, Fe, Pt, and Rh; an antiferromagnetic layer in contact with the underlayer and formed of a substantially-chemically-ordered alloy comprising X and Mn and having a tetragonal crystalline structure, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ni, Ir, Pd and Rh; and a ferromagnetic layer exchange-coupled with the antiferromagnetic layer.