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:
Oct. 05, 2004
Filed:
Nov. 02, 2000
Yingjian Chen, Fremont, CA (US);
Ronald A. Barr, Mountain View, CA (US);
Hau-Ching Tong, San Jose, CA (US);
Western Digital (Fremont), Inc., Lake Forest, CA (US);
Abstract
In at least one embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is a read sensor which includes a shield, a sensor element, a read gap positioned between the shield and the sensor element, and an extra gap positioned between the shield and the sensor element and adjacent the read gap. The sensor element is positioned in a sensor layer. With the sensor element and the shield separated by only the relatively thin gap layer, high sensitivity of the sensor element is obtained. Further, by placing the relatively thick extra gap between the shield and the sensor layer and about the sensor element, the potential for shorting is minimized. The shield can be planarized to keep the read gap and the sensor layer at, and about, the sensor element substantially planar. This, in turn, results in improved control of sensor track widths and greatly reduces the potential for pooling of photoresist. In at least one embodiment, the method of the invention is for fabricating a read sensor and includes depositing a read gap onto a planarized shield, depositing an extra gap adjacent an exposed portion of the read gap, and depositing a sensor element onto the exposed portion of the first gap and adjacent to the extra gap.