Patent ID: 8419953

Claim:
A method for fabricating a transducer including an antiferromagnetic seed structure, the antiferromagnetic seed structure including a first NiFe layer, a first multilayer including a first Ru layer, a second NiFe layer, a second multilayer including a second Ru layer on the second NiFe layer, the first multilayer residing between the first NiFe layer and the second NiFe layer, the method comprising: removing at least the second multilayer, the second NiFe layer and at least a portion of the first Ru layer using a first wet etch process, the first wet etch process using a first etchant combination configured to remove at least NiFe and in which Ru is insoluble, at least the second Ru layer being removed through lift-off due to etching of the second NiFe layer; removing a remaining portion of the first Ru layer using a second wet etch process, the second wet etch process using a second etchant combination configured to remove Ru; and removing a remaining portion of the first multilayer and the first NiFe layer using a third etch process, the third etch process using a third etchant combination configured to remove at least the NiFe.