Patent ID: 7196016

Claim:
A method for fabricating recording head sliders made from silicon substrates with SiO 2 overcoats, comprising: A) providing a Si wafer which has been fabricated with a SiO 2 overcoat; B) depositing a layer of DRIE-resistant material on said SiO 2 overcoat, wherein said DRIE-resistant material is Al 2 O 3 ; C) depositing a patterned layer of RIE-resistant material on said layer of DRIE-resistant material to form a primary mask; D) etching by RIE through said primary mask to pattern said SiO 2 overcoat layer and said layer of DRIE-resistant material; E) removing said primary mask to expose said layer of DRIE-resistant material which has now been patterned to form a secondary mask; F) etching by DRIE through said secondary mask to cut said Si wafer into pieces; and G) removing said secondary mask.