Method of Forming Tapered Junction Shield for Self-Compensation of Asymmetry with Increasing Aspect Ratio for Tunneling Magneto-Resistance (TMR) Type Read Head

A method of forming a junction shield structure in a read head, comprising:

• (a) providing a sensor structure on a bottom electrode, and with two sidewalls formed orthogonal to first plane and terminating at a backside, and comprised of a free layer (FL) having a FL width (FLW) and a magnetization in a cross-track direction between the two sidewalls, wherein there is a stripe height (SH) between a FL front side at the first plane and a FL backside;
• (b) forming an insulation layer on the two sidewalls and backside, and on exposed portions of a top surface of the bottom electrode;
• (c) depositing a first junction shield (JS) layer above the insulation layer and adjacent to each of the two sidewalls, the first JS layer has a bottom surface aligned orthogonal to the first plane and extends from the first plane to a backside at a first height that is greater or equal to than the stripe height and wherein the first JS layer has a first magnetization (JS1) that is parallel to the FL magnetization thereby providing a longitudinal bias to the FL;
• (d) forming a tapered top surface on the first JS layer such that a first down-track thickness (t1) at the first plane is greater than a second down-track thickness (t2) at the first JS layer backside, and a thickness of the first JS layer decreases with increasing height from the first plane;
• and
• (e) performing a lapping process to form an air bearing surface (ABS) at the first plane.