The invention is a magnetic device, i.e., a magnetoresistive sensor or a magnetic
tunnel junction device, that has a ferromagnetic structure of two ferromagnetic
layers antiferromagnetically coupling together with an improved antiferromagnetically
coupling (AFC) film. The AFC film is an alloy of Ru100-xFex
where x is between approximately 10 and 60 atomic percent. This AFC film increases
the exchange coupling by up to a factor or two and has an hcp crystalline structure
making it compatible with Co alloy ferromagnetic layers.