A magnetoresistive stack, including an electrically conductive material, and a seed region disposed above the electrically conductive material and including chromium (Cr). A chromium content of the seed region is large enough to render the seed region substantially non-magnetic. The magnetoresistive stack includes a fixed magnetic region disposed above the seed region. The fixed magnetic region includes a synthetic antiferromagnetic structure including a first ferromagnetic region disposed above the seed region, a coupling layer disposed on and in contact with the first ferromagnetic region, and a second ferromagnetic region disposed on and in contact with the coupling layer. The magnetoresistive stack includes one or more dielectric layers disposed above the second ferromagnetic region, and a free magnetic region disposed above the one or more dielectric layers.