Magnetic read sensor with novel pinned layer and side shield design for improved data track resolution and magnetic pinning robustness

1. A magnetic sensor, comprising:

a magnetic pinned layer structure having a center portion extending to an air bearing surface and first and second laterally extending wing portions each having a tapered front surface that is recessed from the air bearing surface;

a magnetic free layer structure and having first and second sides;

a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between the magnetic free layer structure and the magnetic pinned layer structure; and

first and second magnetic side shield structures extending laterally from the first and second sides of the magnetic free layer structure, the magnetic side shield structures each having a back edge that is tapered to follow the taper of the tapered front surface of the laterally extending wing portions of the magnetic pinned layer structure.

2. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 further comprising a non-magnetic, electrically insulating layer sandwiched between the back edge of the magnetic side shield structure and the tapered front surface of the laterally extending wing portion of the magnetic pinned layer structure.

3. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 wherein the tapered front surfaces of the laterally extending wing portions of the magnetic pinned layer structure each define an angle of 30 to 75 degrees with respect to the air bearing surface.

4. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 wherein the tapered front surfaces of the laterally extending wing portions of the magnetic pinned layer structure each define an angle of about 65 degrees with respect to the air bearing surface.

5. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the laterally extending wing portions of the magnetic pinned layer structure get thicker with increasing distance from the air bearing surface.

6. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic side shields get thinner with increasing distance from the air bearing surface.

7. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the laterally extending wing portions of the magnetic pinned layer structure get thicker with increasing distance from the air bearing surface and the magnetic side shields get thinner with increasing distance from the air bearing surface.

8. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the laterally extending wing portions of the magnetic pinned layer structure terminate at a point that is recessed from the air bearing surface.

9. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the laterally extending wing portions of the magnetic pinned layer structure terminate at the air bearing surface.

10. The magnetic sensor as in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic free layer structure extends to a first stripe height measured from the air bearing surface and the magnetic pinned layer structure extends to a second stripe height also measured from the air bearing surface, the second stripe height being longer than the first stripe height.

11. A method for manufacturing a magnetic sensor, comprising:

depositing a magnetic pinned layer structure;

depositing a non-magnetic layer over the magnetic pinned layer structure;

depositing a magnetic free layer structure over the magnetic pinned layer structure;

forming a mask over the pinned layer structure, non-magnetic layer and magnetic free layer structure, the mask having a track-width defining portion extending to an air bearing surface and having laterally extending wing portions that are recessed from an air bearing surface plane;

wherein the ion milling forms the magnetic pinned layer structure with laterally extending wing portions that have a tapered front surface.

12. The method as in claim 11 wherein the ion milling is a sweeping ion milling performed at an angle so that shadowing from the mask forms the tapered front surface on the magnetic pinned layer structure.

13. The method as in claim 11 wherein the ion milling is a sweeping ion milling performed at an angle relative to normal.

14. The method as in claim 11 wherein the ion milling is a sweeping ion milling performed at an angle of 5-60 degrees relative to normal.

15. The method as in claim 11 wherein the ion milling is a sweeping ion milling performed at an angle of about 30 degrees relative to normal.

16. The method as in claim 11 wherein the ion milling forms the tapered front surface at an angle of 15-60 degrees relative to a plane of the as deposited magnetic pinned layer structure.

17. The method as in claim 11 wherein the ion milling forms the tapered front surface at an angle of about 25 degrees relative to a plane of the as deposited magnetic pinned layer structure.

18. The method as in claim 11 , wherein a height of the mask and an angle of the ion milling are adjusted to form the tapered surface with an angle of 15-60 degrees relative to a plane of the as deposited magnetic pinned layer structure.

19. The method as in claim 11 , wherein a height of the mask and an angle of the ion milling are adjusted to form the tapered surface with an angle of about 25 degrees relative to a plane of the as deposited magnetic pinned layer structure.

20. The method as in claim 11 further comprising, before forming the mask structure, forming a stripe height defining mask structure, performing a stripe height defining ion milling to remove portions of the magnetic free layer structure that are not protected by the stripe height defining mask structure and terminating the stripe height defining ion milling before the magnetic pinned layer structure has been reached.

21. The method as in claim 11 , further comprising, after performing the ion milling, depositing a non-magnetic, electrically insulating layer, and depositing a magnetic shield layer over the non-magnetic, electrically insulating layer.