Patent ID: 7327538

Claim:
A magnetic read head assembly comprising: a read sensor; first and second hard bias layers adjacent to either side of the sensor for longitudinally magnetically biasing the sensor; first and second leads overlaying the first and second hard bias layers and electrically connected to the sensor; and first and second insulation layers for preventing at least a portion of a sense current conducted by the leads from being conducted into the first and second hard bias layers for reducing the read sensitivity of the read sensor, the first insulation layer interposed between the hard bias layer and the first lead layer and the second insulation layer interposed between the second hard bias layer and the second lead layer; and third and fourth insulation layers, the third and fourth insulation layers having sloping layer portions on sides of the sensor, the sloping layer portions interposed between the sides of the sensor and the hard bias layers for preventing conduction of at least a portion of the sense current shunt into the first and second hard bias layers through the sensor for reducing the read sensitivity of the read sensor.