# US 10,121,502 B2 · Magnetic read head having a CPP MR sensor electrically isolated from a top shield > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,121,502 B2 - Document ID: US10121502B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/694,618 - Filed: 2017-09-01 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-05 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Robert G. Biskeborn; Robert E. Fontana, Jr.; Jason Liang; Calvin S. Lo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121502B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/3912: {Arrangements in which the active read-out elements are transducing in association with active magnetic shields, e.g. magnetically coupled shields (G11B5/3916 takes precedence)} - G11B 5/00813: {magnetic tapes} - G11B 5/00826: {comprising a plurality of single poles or gaps or groups thereof operative at the same time} - G11B 5/29: Structure or manufacture of unitary devices formed of plural heads for more than one track {(G11B5/33, G11B5/49 and subgroups take precedence; in thin film structure G11B5/31)} - G11B 5/3909: {Arrangements using a magnetic tunnel junction} - G11B 5/3977: {from different information tracks} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract An apparatus according to one embodiment includes an array of transducer structures arranged along a tape bearing surface of a common module. Each transducer structure includes a lower shield, an upper shield above the lower shield, a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor between the upper and lower shields, at least one lead, and an insulating layer between the at least one lead and the shield closest thereto. The at least one lead is selected from a group including an upper electrical lead between the sensor and the upper shield, and a lower electrical lead between the sensor and the lower shield. The at least one lead is in electrical communication with the sensor. A width of one or more of the at least one lead in a cross track direction is about equal to a width of the sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an array of transducer structures arranged along a tape bearing surface of a common module, each transducer structure having: a lower shield; an upper shield above the lower shield; a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor between the upper and lower shields; an upper electrical lead between the sensor and the upper shield and a lower electrical lead between the sensor and the lower shield, the leads being in electrical communication with the sensor, wherein the lower electrical lead is electrically isolated from the lower shield; and an electrical via in electrical communication with the upper electrical lead, wherein a width of the lower electrical lead in the cross track direction is greater than the width of the sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus as recited in claim 1, comprising an insulating layer between the upper shield and the upper electrical lead. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the lower electrical lead is electrically isolated from the lower shield by an insulating layer, wherein the insulating layer is present between the lower shield and the lower electrical lead. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus as recited in claim 1, comprising an insulating layer between the upper shield and the upper electrical lead, wherein the lower electrical lead is electrically isolated from the lower shield by a second insulating layer, wherein the second insulating layer is present between the lower shield and the lower electrical lead. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the leads is isolated from the shield closest thereto, wherein one of the leads isolated from the shield closest thereto includes a main layer and a stitch layer thereon, the stitch layer being recessed from a media facing side of the main layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An apparatus as recited in claim 1, comprising an insulating layer sandwiched between the upper electrical lead and a hard bias layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each sensor is a tunneling magnetoresistive sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein at least eight of the transducer structures are present above a common substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An apparatus as recited in claim 8, comprising: a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the sensors; and a controller electrically coupled to the sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the magnetic medium is a magnetic recording tape, and comprising, in each transducer structure, an electrical via positioned behind the upper shield relative to a media facing side of the upper shield, the electrical via being in electrical communication with one of the leads isolated from the shield closest thereto. ### Claim 11 An apparatus, comprising: an array of transducer structures arranged along a tape bearing surface of a common module, each transducer structure having: a lower shield; an upper shield above the lower shield; a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor between the upper and lower shields; an upper electrical lead between the sensor and the upper shield, the upper electrical lead being in electrical communication with the sensor; an insulating layer between the upper electrical lead and the upper shield, wherein a width of the upper electrical lead in a cross track direction is about equal to a width of the sensor; an electrical via, the electrical via being positioned behind the upper shield relative to a media facing side of the upper shield, the electrical via being in electrical communication with the upper electrical lead; and a lower electrical lead in electrical communication with the sensor, the lower electrical lead being positioned between the sensor and the lower shield, wherein a width of the lower electrical lead in the cross track direction is greater than the width of the sensor, wherein the lower electrical lead is electrically isolated from the lower shield. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An apparatus as recited in claim 11, comprising: a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the sensors; and a controller electrically coupled to the sensors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the magnetic medium is a magnetic recording tape. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) An apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein each sensor is a tunneling magnetoresistive sensor, wherein at least eight of the transducer structures are present above a common substrate. ### Claim 15 A method of forming a plurality of magnetic head modules each having an array of read transducer structures, the method comprising: forming a lower shield for each of the read transducer structures; forming a lower electrical lead above each lower shield, wherein each lower electrical lead is electrically isolated from the associated lower shield; forming a current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor above each of the lower electrical leads, each lower electrical lead being in electrical communication with the associated sensor, wherein a width of each lower electrical lead in a cross track direction is greater than a width of the associated sensor in the cross track direction; forming an upper electrical lead above each sensor, each upper electrical lead being in electrical communication with the associated sensor; forming an insulating layer above each upper electrical lead; forming an upper shield above each insulating layer, wherein a width of each upper electrical lead in the cross track direction is about equal to a width of the associated sensor; and forming a unique electrical via behind each upper shield relative to a media facing side of the upper shield, each electrical via being electrically coupled to the upper electrical lead of the associated read transducer structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method as recited in claim 15, wherein each upper electrical lead includes a main layer and a stitch layer thereon, the stitch layer being recessed from a media facing side of the main layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A method as recited in claim 15, wherein each sensor is a tunneling magnetoresistive sensor.