Patent ID: 6934129

Claim:
A device comprising: a magnetoresistive structure including a first ferromagnetic layer separated from a second ferromagnetic layer by an electrically conductive, nonmagnetic spacer layer, said first ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is substantially fixed in the presence of an applied magnetic field, said second ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that varies in response to said applied magnetic field, said magnetoresistive structure having a first edge and a second edge that are separated in a track-width direction by a first distance; a first bias layer adjoining said first edge and a second bias layer adjoining said second edge; and a first lead layer disposed adjacent to said first bias layer and overlapping said first edge, and a second lead layer disposed adjacent to said second bias layer and overlapping said second edge, said first and second lead layers separated from each other in said track-width direction by a second distance that is less than said first distance, said first and second lead layers including first and second conductive layers, respectively, said conductive layers having a resistivity less than 6×10 −8 Ωm at 25° C., with first and second metal seed layers adjoining said first and second conductive layers, respectively, said first and second seed layers having a body-centered cubic crystalline structure, and first and second tantalum layers adjoining said first and second seed layers, respectively, said first and second tantalum layers having a body-centered cubic crystalline structure.