Patent ID: 8048281

Claim:
A method for fabricating a thin film magnetic head comprising: depositing a first seed layer on a surface of a partially completed thin film head structure; removing a first portion of said first seed layer, exposing a portion of said surface; depositing a first portion of a second seed layer over a second portion of said first seed layer and a second portion of said second seed layer over said portion of said surface; depositing a photo resist layer over said second portion of said second seed layer; removing a portion of said photo resist layer; electroplating a coil structure over said second portion of said second seed layer by conducting electrical current from said second portion of said first seed layer to said second portion of said second seed layer, wherein said first seed layer is greater than 200 angstroms in thickness and said second seed layer is less than 70 angstroms in thickness; removing remaining portions of said photo resist layer subsequent to electroplating said coil structure; removing exposed portions of said second seed layer subsequent to removing said remaining portions of said photo resist layer; and, electroplating a lower pole pedestal structure and a backgap structure on a lower return pole layer subsequent to removing said exposed portions of said second seed layer, by conducting electrical current from a remaining portion of said first seed layer to said lower return pole layer.