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:
Nov. 09, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 24, 2001
Kenneth E. Knapp, Livermore, CA (US);
Ronald A. Barr, Mountain View, CA (US);
Myron R. Cagan, Saratoga, CA (US);
Mark D. Thomas, Hollister, CA (US);
Western Digital (Fremont), Inc., Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods for reducing feature sizes of devices such as electromagnetic sensors are disclosed. A track width of a MR sensor is defined by a mask having an upper layer with a reduced width and a lower layer with a further reduced width. Instead of or in addition to being supported by the lower layer in the area defining the sensor, the upper layer is supported by the lower layer in areas that do not define the sensor width. In some embodiments the upper layer forms a bridge mask, supported at its ends by the lower layer, and the lower layer is completely removed over an area that will become a sensor. Also disclosed is a mask having more than two layers, with a bottom layer completely removed over the sensor area, and a middle layer undercut relative to a top layer.