A hard bias structure for producing longitudinal bias to stabilize a free layer in an adjacent spin valve is disclosed and includes a composite seed layer made of at least Ta and a metal layer having a fcc or hcp texture to enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in an overlying X laminated layer. The temperature and concentration of the aqueous solution and the selection of the anions and the second metal are chosen to produce metal nanostructures of a desired shape, for example ribbons, wires, flowers, rods, spheres, hollow spheres, scrolls, tubes, sheets, hexagonal sheets, rice, cones, dendrites, or particles. The liquid supply apparatus is electrically connectable to the video-processor, and has a container for storing liquid and a liquid supplier that supplies the liquid in the container to the liquid transmitting tube. Related diagnostic apparatus is also provided. This can provide a further compact flip-flop.