Patent ID: 7126796
Filing Date: 2006-10-24
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A magnetic head assembly, which has surfaces for facing a moving magnetic medium, comprising: a read sensor that has a top surface that has first and second side top surface portions and a central top surface portion that is located between the first and second side top surface portions; first and second overlaying lead layers interfacing said first and second side top surface portions; first and second hard bias layers and first and second lead layers; the first hard bias layer and the first lead layer interfacing the first overlaying lead layer and the second hard bias layer and the second lead layer interfacing the second overlaying lead layer; the central top surface portion having a width that defines a track width of the read sensor; the first and second overlaying lead layers being composed of a first material and the first and second lead layers being composed of a second material; the first material being preferentially removable with respect to the second material when subjected to reactive ion etching; and the first material being tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W) or molybdenum (Mo) and the second material being rhodium (Rh) or ruthenium (Ru).