Read head with leads to shields shorts for permitting a thinner second read gap layer and improving read signal symmetry

A magnetic head assembly comprising:

• a write head including:
• ferromagnetic first and second pole piece layers that have a yoke portion located between a pole tip portion and a back gap portion;
• a nonmagnetic write gap layer located between the pole tip portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein located between the yoke portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• and
• the first and second pole piece layers being connected at their back gap portions;
• and
• a read head including:
• a spin valve sensor;
• first and second leads connected to the spin valve sensor;
• nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers;
• the spin valve sensor and the first and second leads being located between the first and second read gap layers;
• ferromagnetic first and second shield layers;
• the first and second read gap layers being located between the first and second shield layers with the first read gap layer interfacing the first shield layer and the second read gap layer interfacing the second shield layer;
• and
• one of the first and second lead layers being electrically connected to the second shield layer;
• the spin valve sensor including:
• a free layer structure that has a magnetic moment;
• a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure that has a net magnetic moment;
• a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer located between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure;
• an antiferromagnetic pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning the net magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure;
• and
• the free layer structure being located between the spacer layer and the second read gap layer.

A magnetic disk drive including at least one magnetic head assembly that includes a write head and a read head, the read head including a spin valve sensor, comprising:

• the write head including:
• ferromagnetic first and second pole piece layers that have a yoke portion located between a pole tip portion and a back gap portion;
• a nonmagnetic write gap layer located between the pole tip portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein located between the yoke portions of the first and second pole piece layers;
• and
• the first and second pole piece layers being connected at their back gap portions;
• and
• the read head including:
• a spin valve sensor;
• first and second leads connected to the spin valve sensor;
• nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers;
• the spin valve sensor and the first and second leads being located between the first and second read gap layers;
• ferromagnetic first and second shield layers;
• the first and second read gap layers being located between the first and second shield layers with the first read gap layer interfacing the first shield layer and the second read gap layer interfacing the second shield layer;
• and
• one of the first and second lead layers being electrically connected to the second shield layer;
• the spin valve sensor including:
• a free layer structure that has a magnetic moment;
• a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure that has a net magnetic moment;
• a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer located between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure;
• an antiferromagnetic pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning the net magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure;
• and
• the free layer structure being located between the spacer layer and the second read gap layer;
• a housing;
• a magnetic disk rotatably supported in the housing;
• a support mounted in the housing for supporting the magnetic head assembly with said ABS facing the magnetic disk so that the magnetic head assembly is in a transducing relationship with the magnetic disk;
• a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disk;
• an actuator positioning means connected to the support for moving the magnetic head to multiple positions with respect to said magnetic disk;
• and
• a processor connected to the magnetic head, to the spindle motor and to the actuator for exchanging signals with the magnetic head, for controlling movement of the magnetic disk and for controlling the position of the magnetic head.

A method of making a read head comprising the steps of:

• forming a spin valve sensor;
• connecting first and second leads to the spin valve sensor;
• forming nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers with the spin valve sensor and the first and second leads located between the first and second read gap layers;
• forming ferromagnetic first and second shield layers with the first and second read gap layers located between the first and second shield layers and with the first read gap layer interfacing the first shield layer and the second read gap layer interfacing the second shield layer;
• electrically connecting said second lead layer to the second shield layer;
• and
• forming the second read gap layer over an entirety of the first lead layer so as to completely insulate the first lead layer from the second shield layer and not forming the second read gap layer over at least a portion of the second lead layer so that the second lead layer interfaces the second shield layer for the electrical connection therewith.

A method of making a read head comprising the steps of:

• forming a spin valve sensor;
• connecting first and second leads to the spin valve sensor;
• forming nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers with the spin valve sensor and the first and second leads located between the first and second read gap layers;
• forming ferromagnetic first and second shield layers with the first and second read gap layers located between the first and second shield layers and with the first read gap layer interfacing the first shield layer and the second read gap layer interfacing the second shield layer;
• and
• electrically connecting one of the first and second lead layers to the second shield layer;
• the forming of the spin valve sensor including the steps of:
• forming a free layer structure that has a magnetic moment;
• forming a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure that has a net magnetic moment;
• forming a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure;
• forming an antiferromagnetic pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning the net magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure;
• and
• forming the free layer structure between the spacer layer and the second read gap layer.

A method of making a magnetic head assembly comprising the steps of:

• making a write head including the steps of:
• forming ferromagnetic first and second pole piece layers in pole tip, yoke and back gap regions wherein the yoke region is located between the pole tip and back gap regions;
• forming a nonmagnetic nonconductive write gap layer between the first and second pole piece layers in the pole tip region;
• forming an insulation stack with at least one coil layer embedded therein between the first and second pole piece layers in the yoke region;
• and
• connecting the first and pole piece layers at said back gap region;
• and
• making a read head including the steps of:
• forming a spin valve sensor;
• connecting first and second leads to the spin valve sensor;
• forming nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers with the spin valve sensor and the first and second leads located between the first and second read gap layers;
• forming ferromagnetic first and second shield layers with the first and second read gap layers located between the first and second shield layers and with the first read gap layer interfacing the first shield layer and the second read gap layer interfacing the second shield layer;
• and
• electrically connecting one of the first and second lead layers to the second shield layer;
• making of the spin valve sensor including the steps of:
• forming a free layer structure that has a magnetic moment;
• forming a ferromagnetic pinned layer structure that has a net magnetic moment;
• forming a nonmagnetic conductive spacer layer between the free layer structure and the pinned layer structure;
• forming an antiferromagnetic pinning layer exchange coupled to the pinned layer structure for pinning the net magnetic moment of the pinned layer structure;
• and
• forming the free layer structure between the spacer layer and the second read gap layer.