Patent ID: 7263763

Claim:
A planarization method for a substrate having a first surface for etching and a second surface, the method yielding a slider having a patterned air-bearing surface, said method comprising: supporting a layer of adhesive film on a retaining device; positioning the substrate with said first surface against the adhesive film; providing an encapsulating film comprising a thermoplastic film layer and a protective film layer; applying the encapsulating film to the substrate, such that the protective layer of the encapsulating film contacts the second surface of the substrate; heating the encapsulating film to flow the film to fill a space on the adhesive film adjacent the first surface of the substrate with the protective layer of the encapsulating film to encapsulate the substrate; cooling the substrate and encapsulating film to harden encapsulating film; and removing the adhesive film from the first surface of said substrate expose the first surface of said substrate with adjacent protective layer of the encapsulating film as a planarized surface and to provide a surface pattern on the first surface.