Patent ID: 6721143
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: B82Y,G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a spin valve recording head, comprising:providing a first dielectric layer on a magnetic shield; on said first dielectric layer, depositing a GMR enhancing seed layer; on said seed layer, depositing a first antiferromagnetic layer; in succession, depositing on said first antiferromagnetic layer a pinned layer, a non-magnetic spacer layer, a free layer, and a capping layer, thereby forming a bottom spin valve stack; on the capping layer, forming an etch mask that defines a pedestal; using said mask, etching the stack until all unprotected parts of said capping layer, free layer, and spacer layer and a part of said pinned layer have been removed, thereby forming a pedestal, said pedestal having outwardly sloping sidewalls that extend from the capping layer to the unremoved portion of the pinned layer; on the sidewalls, depositing a decoupling layer that is between about 20 and 50 Angstroms thick; on the decoupling layer only, depositing a first layer of soft ferromagnetic material; on said first layer of soft ferromagnetic material only, depositing a second antiferromagnetic layer; on the second antiferromagnetic layer, depositing a conductive lead layer that overlaps the first soft ferromagnetic and second antiferromagnetic layers and contacts the capping layer; and on the capping layer and conductive layer, depositing a second dielectric layer.