Method for making ultra-narrow read sensor and read transducer device resulting therefrom

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for making ultra-narrow track width (TW) read sensors, and read transducers incorporating such sensors. The methods utilize side-wall line patterning techniques to prepare ultra-narrow mill masks that can be used to prepare the ultra-narrow read sensors.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a read sensor comprising a patterned read sensor stack on a substrate, wherein the read sensor stack comprises a plurality of layers; and   a mill mask above the read sensor stack, wherein the mill mask is a line structure deposited via a side-wall line patterning technique.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mill mask comprises a material capable of conformal deposition. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mill mask comprises alumina. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mill mask comprises a line structure with a thickness within the range of about 3 to 35 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mill mask comprises a line structure with a thickness within the range of about 5 to 20 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mill mask has critical dimension uniformity of less than about 1 nm. 
     
     
         7 . A read sensor comprising a read junction between about 3 to 35 nm wide. 
     
     
         8 . The read sensor of  claim 7 , wherein the read junction is between about 5 to 20 nm wide. 
     
     
         9 . The read sensor of  claim 7 , wherein the read junction is between about 7 to 18 nm wide.