Patent ID: 6453542
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for fabricating an MR/GMR read head with balanced shield connections comprising:providing a substrate; forming over said substrate a first dielectric layer; forming over said first dielectric layer a first magnetic shield; forming over said first magnetic shield a second dielectric layer; patterning and etching a set of vias in said second dielectric layer in a first location; patterning a window in said second dielectric layer; forming over said second dielectric layer an MR/GMR sensor element layer, said layer being formed as a sensor element portion and a half-bridge portion, said half-bridge portion being connected in parallel with, being integral with and being coplanar with said sensor element portion; routing said half bridge in an appropriate manner; joining two conducting lead layers to said MR/GMR sensor element and said half bridge; forming a third dielectric layer over both said conducting lead layers, said MR/GMR sensor element and said half-bridge; patterning and etching a set of vias in said third dielectric layer in a second location; forming over said third dielectric layer a second magnetic shield; connecting said half-bridge to said first magnetic shield with conducting interconnects passing through said vias in said first location in said second dielectric layer and to said second magnetic shield with conducting interconnects passing through said vias in said second location in said third dielectric layer.