Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved structure and method for forming an interleaved magnetic head. In one aspect, an interleaved magnetic head is formed by providing a wafer comprising a first thick magnetic layer extending across read and write segments of the head and patterned to form a first read shield and a first write pole and, in a second step, a second thick magnetic layer is formed across the read and write segments of the head at substantially the same time to provide substantially all of a second read shield and substantially all of a second write pole. A write gap between the write poles may be formed in such a manner as to have a different thickness than the read gap between the read shields. In addition, tight processing control is maintained over the critical read gap thickness.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved structure and method of forming a dual magnetoresistive element head. The dual magnetoresistive element head includes a first and a second magnetoresistive element and leads extending from opposite end segments of each magnetoresistive element. In one aspect of the present invention, the first and second magnetoresistive elements and the leads are simultaneously formed from a wafer comprising a first and a second magnetic layer separated by an intermediate gap layer.