Method of manufacturing magnetoresistive read transducer having a contiguous longitudinal bias layer

A method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive read transducer having end regions separated by a central active region comprising the steps of:

• depositing a first layer of ferromagnetic material on a substrate;
• forming a stencil which covers at least a portion of said first layer of ferromagnetic material which defines a central active region of said transducer;
• etching away portions of said first layer of magnetoresistive material not covered by said stencil to form a magnetoresistive element extending over said central active region of said transducer;
• depositing a second layer of ferromagnetic material over end regions of said transducer not covered by said stencil;
• and
• depositing a layer of antiferromagnetic material over said end regions of said transducer not covered by said stencil, said layer of antiferromagnetic material overlaying and in contact with said second layer of ferromagnetic material, said layers of antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic material forming an exchange-coupled bias layer extending over said end regions of said transducer, said exchange-coupled bias layer in each of said end regions forming an abutting junction with one end of said magnetoresistive element, said exchange-coupled bias layers producing a longitudinal magnetic bias field in said transducer.