Nano Processing Strategies for MR Sensor Read Width and Stripe Height formation

An alternative sensor patterning approach is proposed based on chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and no-undercut resist images to define the read sensors critical dimensions. It will be shown that this technique is compatible with most lithography tools and strategies. Ultra narrow giant magnetoresistive (GMR) read heads have been successfully fabricated with physical read widths in the 40-80 nm range and using various sensor designs: current in plane (CIP) GMR, current perpendicular to the plane (CPP) GMR and CPP tunnel magnetoresistive (CPP -TMR) sensors.