Patent ID: 7284316
Filing Date: 2007-10-23
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for forming a hard bias structure in a magnetoresistive sensor, comprising providing a substrate comprising a gap layer having a top surface; forming a magnetoresistive sensor structure over the substrate, the magnetoresistive sensor structure comprising at least a soft magnetic bias layer, a spacer layer over the soft magnetic bias layer, and a magnetoresistive layer over the spacer layer; forming a mask over a portion of the magnetoresistive sensor structure to define a central region of the magnetoresistive sensor; ion milling the masked magnetoresistive structure to remove portions of the magnetoresistive sensor structure not shielded by the mask, to form a central region of the magnetoresistive sensor having sloped sides, and to expose a region of the gap layer laterally adjacent the sloped sides of the central region; forming a first underlayer onto at least the sloped sides of the central region by depositing a first underlayer material at a high deposition angle; forming a second underlayer at least partially overlapping the first underlayer by depositing a second underlayer material at a first lower deposition angle; and forming a hard bias layer over at least a portion of the second underlayer by depositing a hard bias material at a second lower deposition angle, wherein the first lower deposition angle is approximately equal to the second lower deposition angle.