Patent ID: 8371019

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising: forming a substrate; depositing a fill layer over the substrate; depositing a first CMP stop layer over the fill layer; forming a mask structure over the substrate; depositing a RIE mask layer over the first CMP stop layer and the mask structure; removing the mask structure to leave an opening in the RIE mask layer; performing a first reactive ion etching to remove portions of the first CMP stop layer that are exposed through the opening in the RIE mask to expose a portion of the fill layer; performing second reactive ion etching to remove the exposed portion of the fill layer to form a trench in the fill layer; depositing a second CMP stop layer, a portion of the second CMP stop layer extending outside of the trench; electroplating a magnetic material; performing a first chemical mechanical polishing, the first chemical mechanical polishing terminating at the second CMP stop layer; performing an ion milling to remove portions of the second CMP stop layer that that extend outside of the trench; and performing a second chemical mechanical polishing to remove the hard mask layer; the second chemical mechanical polishing terminating at the first CMP stop layer.