Effect of non-planar shields on the readback performance of GMR heads

Summary form only given. As recorded track widths become narrower, track and head edge geometry becomes more important. We studied the shape effects of the leads and permanent magnets used for longitudinal stabilization located at the edges of GMR sensors. These cause the top shield to curve away from the bottom shield, significantly increasing the read gap at the GMR sensor's edges. This should decrease the shielded sensor's spatial resolution. The on and off track signal profiles have been studied for sensors with lead overlay structures. The effects of lead overlay amount on the readback performance is studied.