Patent ID: 6393692
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a merged read/write magnetic recording head comprising:forming a low magnetic moment first magnetic shield layer over a substrate, forming a read gap layer with a magnetoresistive head over the first shield layer, forming a shared pole comprising: a) a low magnetic moment second magnetic shield layer over the read gap layer, and b) a high magnetic moment lower pole layer over the second magnetic shield layer, forming a write gap layer over the lower pole layer of the shared pole, forming a mask with an opening centered above the magnetoresistive stripe over the write gap above the lower pole layer leaving an exposed surface thereof within the mask opening, and forming an integral, monolithic upper high magnetic moment (HMM) pole formed from a high magnetic moment pole layer over the nonmagnetic spacer layer by plating an upper HMM pole layer into the opening in the mask over the exposed surface of the lower pole layer.