Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) read head with reactive-ion-etch defined read width and fabrication process

A magnetic head including a GMR read head, comprising:

• a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a bottom electrically insulating layer being disposed upon said bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a GMR read sensor, including a plurality of films being disposed upon said bottom insulating layer;
• two first electrical conductor layers being disposed in a spaced apart relationship proximate said GMR read sensor, each of said first electrical conductor layers having an inwardly disposed face that is formed in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to a film surface of the GMR read sensor;
• a longitudinal bias (LB) layer being disposed proximate said GMR read sensor;
• a second electrically insulating layer being disposed above said GMR read sensor;
• and
• a top magnetic shield layer being disposed above said second insulating layer.

A hard disk drive including a magnetic head that includes a GMR read head, comprising:

• a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a bottom electrically insulating layer being disposed upon said bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a GMR read sensor, comprising a plurality of films, being disposed upon said bottom insulating layer;
• two first electrical conductor layers being disposed in a spaced apart relationship proximate said GMR read sensor, each of said first electrical conductor layers having an inwardly disposed face that is formed in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to a film surface of said GMR read sensor;
• a longitudinal bias (LB) layer being disposed proximate said GMR read sensor;
• a top electrically insulating layer being disposed above said GMR read sensor;
• and
• a top magnetic shield layer being disposed above said top insulating layer.

A method for fabricating a GMR read head portion of a magnetic head, comprising:

• fabricating a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• fabricating a bottom electrically insulating layer upon said bottom magnetic shield layer;
• fabricating a GMR read sensor including a plurality of films;
• fabricating a first electrical conductor layer on a surface plane of said GMR read sensor;
• fabricating monolayer photoresist mask upon said first electrical conductor layer, said etching mask including a read width trench formed therethrough;
• reactive-ion-etching said first electrical conductor layer through the read width trench to create two first electrical conductor layers;
• fabricating a second electrically insulating layer above said GMR read sensor layer;
• and
• fabricating a top magnetic shield layer upon said second electrically insulating layer.

A magnetic head including a read head portion that is fabricated by a method comprising the steps of:

• fabricating a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• fabricating a bottom electrically insulating layer upon said bottom magnetic shield layer;
• fabricating a GMR read sensor including a plurality of films;
• fabricating a first electrical conductor layer on the film surface of said GMR read sensor;
• fabricating monolayer photoresist mask upon said first electrical conductor layer, said mask including a read width trench formed therethrough;
• reactive-ion-etching a read width trench within said first electrical conductor layer to create two first electrical conductor layers;
• fabricating a top electrically insulating layer above said GMR read sensor;
• and
• fabricating a top magnetic shield layer upon said top electrical insulation layer.