Magnetic read head having a cpp mr sensor electrically isolated from a top shield

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;
• and
• an insulating layer between at 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.

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 current-perpendicular-to-plane sensor above each lower shield;
• 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;
• and
• forming an upper shield above each insulating layer,
• wherein a width of each upper electrical lead in a cross track direction is about equal to a width of the sensor.