Patent ID: 6910259

Claim:
A method of making a magnetic read head wherein the read head has a read region that has first and second sides that extend substantially perpendicular to the ABS, first and second end regions that are adjacent the first and second sides respectively and the read region and first and second end regions being adjacent the ABS, comprising: forming a first shield layer; forming an insulation layer on the first shield layer; forming an antiferromagnetic oxide film on the insulation film; forming a spin valve sensor with a non-magnetic layer directly on a first gap layer, the first gap layer comprising a bi-layer of said insulation film and said antiferromagnetic oxide film; forming a mask on the spin valve sensor with first and second openings wherein the first and second openings define first and second side edges of the spin valve sensor to be located in the read region; milling away spin valve sensor material in the first and second openings to expose the antiferromagnetic oxide film; forming first and second lead layers on the antiferromagnetic oxide film in the first and second openings; removing the mask; forming a second gap layer on the spin valve sensor and the first and second lead layers; and forming a second shield layer on the second gap layer.