Patent ID: 7211339

Claim:
A device comprising: a solid body having a surface; a magnetoresistive structure disposed in said body adjacent to said surface, said magnetoresistive structure extending a first amount in a first direction that is substantially parallel to said surface, extending a second amount in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to said surface, and extending a third amount in a third direction that is perpendicular to said first and second directions, with said third amount being less than each of said first and second amounts; a first lead layer disposed in said body adjacent to said surface and made of material having a resistivity of less than 6×10 −8 Ωm at room temperature, said first lead layer having a first edge extending in said second direction so that a first portion of said first edge adjoins said magnetoresistive structure and a second portion of said first edge is removed from said magnetoresistive structure and adjacent to the first portion, said first portion of said first edge having a first length, said second portion having a second length, the first length and the second length having a combined first and second length greater than the second amount; and a second lead layer disposed in said body adjacent to said surface, separated from said first lead layer in said first direction and made of material having a resistivity of less than 6×10 −8 Ωm at room temperature, said second lead layer having a second edge extending in said second direction so that a first part of said second edge adjoins said magnetoresistive structure and a second part of said second edge is removed from said magnetoresistive structure and adjacent to the first part, the first part and the second part of the second edge having a combined length greater than the second amount; and first and second metal layers each adjoining the first lead layer, extending along the first portion and having an electrical resistivity greater than 6×10 −8 Ωm at room temperature, the first metal layer having a thickness in the third direction that is at least about as large as a lead thickness of the first lead layer; wherein said first portion is separated from said first part by a distance that is substantially identical to that separating said second portion from said second part.