Patent ID: 7324311

Claim:
A magnetic head comprising: a current perpendicular to plane magnetoresistive sensor having: a pedestal constructed entirely of a non-magnetic electrically conductive material, the pedestal having first and second laterally opposed sides defining a trackwidth and having a planar upper surface formed along a first plane and a lower surface formed along a second plane; first and second insulation layers formed at said first and second laterally opposed sides of said non-magnetic, electrically conductive pedestal; first and second antiferromagnetic AFM layers extending laterally outward from said insulation layers, said first and second AFM layers each having a planar upper surface that is coplanar with said planar upper surface of said non-magnetic, electrically conductive material layer; a first ferromagnetic layer formed on said coplanar upper surface of said pedestal non magnetic, electrically conductive material layer and said first and second AFM layers, said ferromagnetic layer being exchange coupled with said first and second AFM layers.