Patent ID: 7919139

Claim:
A process to manufacture a CPP magnetic read head, comprising: providing a bottom magnetic shield and depositing thereon a CPP stack that comprises a free layer, having a top surface, said free layer contacting a spacer layer which contacts a pinned layer which is on a pinning layer; forming a first photoresist mask on a central area of said top surface and then removing unprotected parts of said CPP stack until said bottom magnetic shield layer is just exposed, followed by removal of said first layer of photoresist; then forming a second photoresist mask, narrower than said first mask, on a central area of said top surface and then removing unprotected parts of said CPP stack until opposing portions of said pinning layer are just exposed; with said second mask still in place, depositing a layer of a conductive material onto the exposed portions of the pinning layer; then removing said second mask, including all conductive material deposited thereon; then forming a third photoresist mask whose width defines a read track having a width that is narrower than that of said second mask, on a central area of said top surface, and then, using a method that results in sloping sidewalls, removing unprotected parts of said CPP stack until opposing areas of said pinned layer are just exposed; with said third mask still on place, depositing a layer of dielectric material on all exposed surfaces, including said sidewalls, and then depositing a longitudinal bias layer on said dielectric layer; and then removing said third photoresist mask.