Method of making pole tip structure for thin film magnetic heads

A method of making pole tips PT1 and PT2 for a thin film magnetic head with a sidegap G located between the pole tips PT1 and PT2, the method comprising the steps of:

• depositing a bottom seedlayer;
• depositing an insulation layer on top of the bottom seedlayer;
• depositing a top seedlayer on top of the insulation layer;
• frame plating the pole tip PT1 on top of the top seedlayer, the pole tip PT1 having top and bottom film surfaces bounded in part by a pair of spaced apart sidewalls;
• removing the top seedlayer with the exception of the top seedlayer below the pole tip PT1;
• depositing a gap insulation layer on the insulation layer and on a sidewall of the pole tip PT1, the deposition of the gap insulation layer on the sidewall forming said sidegap G;
• removing the gap insulation layer with the exception of the gap insulation layer which is deposited on the sidewall of the pole tip PT1 to form said sidegap;
• removing the insulation layer with the exception of the insulation layer below the pole tip PT1 to expose a portion of the bottom seedlayer adjacent to the pole tip PT1 where the pole tip PT2 is to be formed;
• and
• frame plating the pole tip PT2 on top of the exposed portion of the bottom seedlayer adjacent to said sidegap.