A method of making a merged magnetic head that has an air bearing surface (ABS) comprising:
- making a read head including:
- forming a first ferromagnetic shield layer;
- forming a first gap layer on the first ferromagnetic shield layer;
- forming a sensor material layer on the first gap layer;
- forming a first cap layer on the sensor material layer;
- selecting across the layers a sensor region and first and second spaced apart lead regions wherein each of the first and second lead regions have first and second high resistance lead regions that traverse the sensor region so as to leave an active sensor region between the first and second high resistance lead regions and have first and second low resistance lead regions that extend from the first and second high resistance lead regions respectively away from the ABS;
- removing a first portion of the first cap layer and the sensor material layer in all regions except the sensor region so that a second portion of the first cap layer remains covering the sensor region;
- forming a low resistance material layer in all regions except the sensor region and forming a second cap layer on the low resistance material layer in all regions except the sensor region;
- removing first and second portions of the second portion of the first cap layer in first and second portions of the sensor region leaving an active portion of the sensor region covered by a third portion of the second portion of the first cap layer;
- simultaneously removing sensor material layer portions in the first and second portions of the sensor region and first and second portions of the second cap layer in the first and second low resistance lead regions;
- forming first and second bias layers, first and second high resistance lead layers and first and second portions of a third cap layer in the first and second high resistance lead regions and the first and second low resistance lead regions;
- removing second cap and low resistance material layer portions in all regions except the sensor region and the first and second high and low resistance lead regions;
- forming a second gap layer in the active region of the sensor and on the first and second high resistance regions:
- forming a second shield layer on the second gap layer;
- making a write head including:
- employing the second shield as a first pole piece layer and forming a second pole piece layer and a write gap layer with the first and second pole piece layers being separated by the write gap layer at the ABS and connected at a back gap that is recessed rearwardly in the head from the ABS;
- and
- forming an insulation stack between the first and second pole piece layers wherein the insulation stack has at least first and second insulation layers with at least one coil layer embedded therein.