A method of making a read sensor while protecting it from electrostatic
discharge (ESD) damage involves forming a severable shunt during the
formation of the read sensor. The method may include forming a resist
layer over a plurality of read sensor layers; performing lithography with
use of a mask to form the resist layer into a patterned resist which
exposes left and right side regions over the read sensor layers as well
as a shunt region; etching, with the patterned resist in place, to remove
materials in the left and right side regions and in the shunt region; and
depositing, with the patterned resist in place, left and right hard bias
and lead layers in the left and right side regions, respectively, and in
the shunt region for forming a severable shunt which electrically couples
the left and right hard bias and lead layers together for ESD protection.