Magnetoresistive head stabilized structure and method of fabrication thereof

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, the method of the present invention is embodied in a method for fabricating a magnetoresistive head structure which includes obtaining a lead and magnetic bias layer, applying a photoresist layer over the lead and magnetic bias layer and about a desired position of a sensor such that the desired position of the sensor is substantially free of the photoresist layer, etching the lead and magnetic bias material substantially at the desired position of the sensor, depositing a sensor at the desired position of the sensor; and removing the photoresist. Obtaining the lead and magnetic bias layers can be done by depositing them. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is embodied in a magnetoresistive head structure having a sensor with sides, a lead layer with a portion positioned on either side of the sensor in contact with the sensor so that a sensing current can flow between the portions and through the sensor, and a magnetic bias layer positioned over the lead layer and on either side of the sensor. The magnetic bias layer can be a hard bias or an exchange layer. The sensor preferably is either an anisotopic magnetoresistive element or a spin valve element less than 0.6 μm wide.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.