A magnetic head including an electrical lead layer that is comprised of a
material having an ordered-phase crystalline structure. In a preferred
embodiment, the ordered-phase crystalline structure of the electrical
lead is epitaxially matched to the crystalline structure of the hard bias
layer upon which it is formed, and there is no need for a seed layer for
the electrical leads. Electrical leads comprised of the materials used in
the invention having an ordered-phase crystalline structure, particularly
a B2, L1.sub.0, L1.sub.1, and L1.sub.2 structure, will have significantly
reduced resistivity over the prior art electrical leads that are
typically composed of rhodium or tantalum. As a result, thinner
electrical leads can be fabricated which carry the same, or even greater,
current than the prior art rhodium or tantalum leads. The preferred leads
are comprised of NiAl, FeCo, or CuZn having a B2 crystalline structure,
and alternative embodiments are comprised of CuAu, Cu.sub.3Au, CuPt, and
Cu.sub.3Pt.