Patent ID: 7320170

Claim:
A process to manufacture a CIP GMR read head, comprising on a substrate, depositing a first pinning layer; in succession, depositing on said first pinning layer a first pinned layer, a non-magnetic spacer layer, a free layer, a decoupling layer, a second pinned layer, and a second pinning layer, thereby forming a GMR stack; on the second pinning layer, forming an etch mask that defines a pedestal; then, using a beam that consists of xenon ions, ion milling said mask and the GMR stack until a part of said GMR stack, no more than about 0.1 microns thick, has been removed and the pedestal, having sidewalls with a vertical section that includes all of said free layer, has been formed; on the mask and on said second pinning layer, depositing a longitudinal bias layer that fully abuts said free layer without overlying the free layer; on said longitudinal bias layer, depositing a conductive lead layer; and then removing said mask thereby forming said CIP GMR read head.