DIFFERENTIATED LIFTOFF PROCESS FOR ULTRA-SHALLOW MASK DEFINED NARROW TRACKWIDTH MAGNETIC SENSOR

• Main Authors: DANG XIAOZHONG, ZHENG YI, SOUGRATI HICHAM M, MAO GUOMIN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.10.2013
• Subjects: GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INFORMATION STORAGE; INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORDCARRIER AND TRANSDUCER; PHYSICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

A method for manufacturing a magnetic read sensor allows for the construction of a very narrow trackwidth sensor while avoiding problems related to mask liftoff and shadowing related process variations across a wafer. The process involves depositing a plurality of sensor layers and forming a first mask structure. The first mask structure has a relatively large opening that encompasses a sensor area and an area adjacent to the sensor area where a hard bias structure can be deposited. A second mask structure is formed over the first mask structure and includes a first portion that is configured to define a sensor dimension and a second portion that is over the first mask structure in the field area.