Patent ID: 7455332

Claim:
A method of forming a slider that does not exhibit thermal protrusion of overcoat and read/write head portions during hard disk drive operation comprising: providing a plurality of row bars, each row bar including a plurality of sliders formed therein; then contour lapping said plurality of row bars to produce a contoured ABS on each slider included therein, each said contoured ABS including portions of a read/write head and each said ABS having an overcoat; then applying a non-abrasive, aqueous based CMP process to said plurality of row bars; and producing, by the application of said CMP process a chemical softening of said overcoat and a non-abrasive removal of portions thereof, creating thereby a smooth final shape of each said slider ABS, wherein said overcoat and said read/write head portions of each said ABS are recessed relative thereto and any abrasions resulting from said contour lapping are removed; then slicing said row bars to produce individual sliders.