Magnetoresistive sensor with overlapping lead layers including alpha tantalum and conductive layers

A device comprising:

• a magnetoresistive structure disposed adjacent to a media-facing surface, said magnetoresistive structure including a first ferromagnetic layer separated from a second ferromagnetic layer by an electrically conductive, nonmagnetic spacer layer, said first ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is substantially fixed in the presence of an applied magnetic field, said second ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that varies in response to said applied magnetic field, said magnetoresistive structure extending along said media-facing surface between a first edge and a second edge, and having an active portion that extends a first distance from said media-facing surface;
• a first bias layer adjoining said first edge;
• a second bias layer adjoining said second edge;
• a first conductive layer disposed adjacent to said first bias layer and overlapping a top of said magnetoresistive structure in a first region, said first conductive layer having a resistivity less than 6×10−8 Ωm at 25° C.;
• and
• a second conductive layer disposed adjacent to said second bias layer and overlapping the top of said magnetoresistive structure in a second region, said second conductive layer having a resistivity less than 6×10−8 Ωm at 25° C.;
• wherein said first and second regions extend further than said first distance from said media-facing surface.

A device comprising:

• a magnetoresistive structure disposed adjacent to a media-facing surface and including a first ferromagnetic layer separated from a second ferromagnetic layer by an electrically conductive, nonmagnetic spacer layer, said first ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is substantially fixed in the presence of an applied magnetic field, said second ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that varies in response to said applied magnetic field, said magnetoresistive structure having a first edge and a second edge that are separated by a first distance in a track-width direction;
• a first bias layer adjoining said first edge and a second bias layer adjoining said second edge;
• and
• a first lead layer disposed adjacent to said first bias layer and extending beyond said first edge to overlap said magnetoresistive structure in a first region, and a second lead layer disposed adjacent to said second bias layer and extending beyond said second edge to overlap said magnetoresistive structure in a second region, said first and second regions separated from each other in said track-width direction by a second distance that is less than said first distance, said first and second regions extending further than an active portion of said magnetoresistive structure from said media-facing surface, said first and second lead layers including first and second electrically conductive layers, respectively, each of said electrically conductive layers having a resistivity that is less than 6×10−8 Ωm at 25° C.