Method of fabricating a magnetic head having a CPP sensor with ELG fabrication and a partially milled stripe height

A method for fabricating a magnetic head upon a wafer substrate, comprising:

• fabricating a CPP read sensor including:
• depositing a plurality of sensor layers upon a base layer, said sensor layers including an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a free magnetic layer upon a base layer;
• fabricating a first milling mask upon said sensor layers, said first milling mask being formed to cover a central portion of said sensor layers while not covering field portions of said sensor layers;
• first milling unmasked portions of said sensor layers;
• depositing a layer of ELG material;
• removing said first milling mask;
• fabricating a second milling mask upon said central portion of said sensor layers and upon an ELG portion of said ELG layer;
• second milling unmasked portions of said sensor layers and said ELG layer;
• depositing a first fill layer to a depth of approximately equal to a depth of said sensor layers;
• removing said second milling mask;
• fabricating a third milling mask upon portions of said central portion of said sensor layers and said ELG material, said third milling mask having a back edge portion that is disposed to form a back edge of some of said sensor layers, and said third milling mask also having another back edge portion that is disposed to form a back edge of said ELG material;
• third milling unmasked portions of said sensor layers to create a back edge of some of said sensor layers, wherein said antiferromagnetic layer is not milled in this third milling, and milling unmasked portions of said ELG material to create a back edge of said ELG material.

A method for fabricating a magnetic head upon a wafer substrate, comprising:

• fabricating a CPP read sensor including:
• depositing a plurality of sensor layers upon a base layer including an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer and a free magnetic layer upon a base layer;
• fabricating a first milling mask upon said sensor layers, said first milling mask being formed to cover a central portion of said sensor layers while not covering field portions of said sensor layers;
• first milling unmasked portions of said sensor layers;
• depositing a fill layer to a depth of approximately said AFM layer;
• depositing a layer of ELG material;
• removing said first milling mask;
• fabricating a second milling mask upon said central portion of said sensor layers and upon an ELG portion of said ELG layer;
• second milling unmasked portions of said sensor layers and said ELG layer;
• depositing another fill layer to a depth of approximately equal to a depth of said sensor layers;
• removing said second milling mask;
• fabricating a third milling mask upon portions of said central portion of said sensor layers and said ELG material, said third milling mask having a back edge portion that is disposed to form a back edge of some of said sensor layers, and said third milling mask also having another back edge portion that is disposed to form a back edge of said ELG material;
• third milling unmasked portions of said sensor layers to create a back edge of some of said sensor layers, wherein said antiferromagnetic layer is not milled in this third milling, and milling unmasked portions of said ELG material to create a back edge of said ELG material.