The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 07, 2026
Filed:
Oct. 27, 2023
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Howard Gordon Zolla, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Yongchul Ahn, San Jose, CA (US);
Rong Cao, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Goncalo Baião De Albuquerque, San Jose, CA (US);
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Rather than disposing a cap layer on a rear soft bias (RSB) of a DFL read head prior to the patterning of the RSB and TMR sensor, disclosed is a decoupling layer disposed on the RSB and TMR sensor after they undergo patterning, with the decoupling layer undergoing its own subsequent patterning. The RSB and the TMR sensor can thus be patterned (defined) together without a RSB cap layer adversely affecting the patterning. As the decoupling layer undergoes its separate patterning, its cross-track width can be flexibly optimized to be greater than that of both the RSB and the TMR sensor. In some embodiments, the decoupling layer's extra width will help it completely decouple the RSB and TMR sensor from the top shield. The side shields will be partially decoupled from the top shield due to the extra width, but will still retain partial coupling to the top shield.