Method of manufacturing a magnetic head including a read head with read track width defining layer that planarizes the write gap layer of a write head

Abstract

A method of making a magnetic head that has a read head with a track width includes the steps of depositing a read track width defining material layer on a read sensor material layer; forming a bi-layer photoresist mask on the read track width defining material layer that masks a read track width defining layer portion of the read track width defining material layer; removing by reactive ion etching (RIE) a portion of the read track width defining material layer not masked by the photoresist mask to form the read track width defining layer portion with exposed first and second side edges that are spaced apart a distance equal to the track width; removing by ion milling a first portion of the read sensor material layer not masked by the read track width defining layer portion to form a second portion of the read sensor material layer with exposed first and second side edges that have a width equal to the track width; depositing hard bias and lead material layers on the photoresist mask in contact with the first and second side edges of each of the second portion of the read sensor material layer and the read track width defining layer portion; and removing the photoresist mask, thereby lifting off a portion of the hard bias and lead material layers leaving first and second hard bias and lead layers connected to the first and second side edges of each of the second portion of the read sensor material layer and the read track width defining layer portion.