Patent ID: 8333898
Filing Date: 2012-12-18
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a magnetic tape head, comprising: forming a first magnetic, electrically conductive shield in a data sensor region and a second magnetic, electrically conductive shield in a servo sensor region; depositing a first non-magnetic gap layer; forming a first liftoff mask over the data sensor region; depositing a second non-magnetic gap layer; removing the first liftoff mask, thereby removing a portion of the second non-magnetic gap layer in the data sensor region; depositing a plurality of sensor layers; forming a stripe height defining mask structure, the stripe height defining mask structure having a portion in the data sensor region formed with a back edge configured to define a sensor stripe height and having a portion in the servo sensor region also having a back edge configured to define a stripe height, the stripe height defining mask structure leaving regions outside of the data sensor region and outside of the servo sensor region uncovered; and performing an ion milling to remove portions of the first and second non-magnetic gap layer and the plurality of sensor layers that are not protected by the stripe height defining mask structure, thereby forming a back edge of a sensor structure in the data sensor region and servo sensor region and also removing the first and second gap layers in a field region outside of the data and servo sensor regions.