System for providing a magnetoresistive head having higher efficiency

A magnetoresistive head assembly comprising:

• an air bearing surface for interfacing with a magnetic storage medium;
• a magnetoresistive element formed with a first end at said air bearing surface and a second end;
• remote from said air bearing surface said ends defining the height of said magnetoresistive element, and having sides between said ends;
• a flux guide formed of a magnetically soft material having a high resistivity, said flux guide having first and second ends and sides therebetween, said first end of said flux guide being contiguous and coextensive with said second end of said magnetoresistive element, said first end of said flux guide being spaced from said air bearing surface by the height of said magnetoresistive element;
• first and second gaps formed respectively along the sides of said magnetoresistive element and the sides of said flux guide;
• and
• first and second shields spaced from said magnetoresistive element and said flux guide by said first and second gaps respectively;
• wherein the combined height of said magnetoresistive element and said flux guide is substantially the same as the height of each of said gaps and said shields.