Flux-guided tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor for magnetic tape with reduced likelihood of electrical shorting

A tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) read head for reading magnetically recorded data from a magnetic tape, the head having a tape-bearing surface (TBS) and comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first shield layer on the substrate;
• an insulating isolation layer on the first shield layer;
• a first gap layer on the isolation layer and having a non-electrically-conducting portion with an edge at the TBS and a non-magnetic electrically-conducting portion recessed from the TBS;
• a tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor on the non-magnetic electrically-conducting portion of the first gap layer and recessed from the TBS;
• a non-magnetic electrically-conducting second gap layer on the TMR sensor;
• a second shield layer on the second gap layer, the first and second shield layers being connected in a region recessed farther from the TBS than the TMR sensor;
• a flux guide layer between the first and second gap layers and extending between the TBS and the recessed TMR sensor;
• an insulating layer between the flux guide layer and the first gap layer;
• and
• sense current circuitry connected between the second shield layer and the electrically-conducting recessed portion of the first gap layer.