Patent ID: 7089650

Claim:
A process for manufacturing a double shielded top spin valve structure, including a free layer, comprising: providing a lower primary magnetic shield on which is a first dielectric layer; on the first dielectric layer, depositing a first layer of high permeability ferromagnetic material, said first layer of ferromagnetic material having an electrical resistivity greater than about 125 micro-ohm-cm and a thickness such that a product of a moment and thickness of said first layer of ferromagnetic material is 2 to 5 times that of the free layer, thereby forming a first thin film shield; on the first thin film shield, depositing a layer of material suitable for use as a first decoupling layer; on said first decoupling layer, depositing a layer of magnetic material suitable for use as the free layer in said spin valve; on the free layer, depositing a layer of non-magnetic material; on the layer of non-magnetic material, depositing a layer of magnetic material suitable for use as a pinned layer in said spin valve; on the pinned layer, depositing a layer of an anti-ferromagnetic material suitable for use as a pinning layer in said spin valve; on the anti-ferromagnetic layer, depositing a layer of material suitable for use as a second decoupling layer; and on the second decoupling layer, depositing a second layer of high permeability ferromagnetic material, said second layer of ferromagnetic material having an electrical resistivity greater than about 125 micro-ohm-cm and a thickness such that a product of a moment and thickness of said second layer of ferromagnetic material is 2 to 5 times that of the free layer, thereby forming a second thin film shield; then patterning and etching to form therein a trench that extends through the second thin film shield as far as said first dielectric layer, said trench having a sidewall that slopes; on the first dielectric layer and on the sidewall, selectively depositing a layer of a ferromagnetic material suitable for use as a permanent magnet layer for providing longitudinal bias; on the permanent magnet layer, selectively depositing a layer of conductive material suitable for use as a connecting lead layer; on the second thin film shield and on the conductive lead layer, depositing a second dielectric layer; and on the second dielectric layer, depositing an upper primary magnetic shield.