Abstract: The magnetic head includes a second magnetic shield that is fabricated in a deposition process. The present invention therefore does not require the deposition of the electrically conductive seed layer. In a preferred embodiment, the deposited second magnetic shield is comprised of cobalt zirconium tantalum (CZT). Because the CZT material is relatively soft, it is preferably deposited within an opening formed in a relatively hard RIEable material such as Ta2O5, SiO2, Si3N3, and SiOxNy, such that a subsequent chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) step can be conducted down to the surface of the relatively hard layer.