摘要:
A bottom end of a main pole includes first, second, and third portions that are contiguously arranged in order of increasing distance from the medium facing surface. A top surface of the main pole includes fourth, fifth, and sixth portions that are contiguously arranged in order of increasing distance from the medium facing surface. A distance from the top surface of the substrate to any given point on each of the first and second portions decreases with increasing distance from the given point to the medium facing surface. The second portion has an angle of inclination greater than that of the first portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface. A distance from the top surface of the substrate to any given point on each of the fourth and fifth portions increases with increasing distance from the given point to the medium facing surface. The fifth portion has an angle of inclination greater than that of the fourth portion with respect to the direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface.
摘要:
A thin-film magnetic head includes a coil, a magnetic path forming section, and an insulating film. The magnetic path forming section includes first and second magnetic material portions. The coil includes first and second coil elements located between the first and second magnetic material portions. The insulating film includes an underlying portion located under the first and second coil elements. In a method of manufacturing the thin-film magnetic head, the insulating film is formed to cover the first and second magnetic material portions, and then a seed layer is formed selectively on the underlying portion of the insulating film. The coil is formed by plating using the seed layer.
摘要:
A main pole has a front end face including a first end face portion and a second end face portion. A plasmon generator has a near-field light generating surface. A surrounding layer has a first surrounding layer end face and a second surrounding layer end face located on opposite sides of the first end face portion in the track width direction. A gap film has a first gap film end face and a second gap film end face located on opposite sides of the near-field light generating surface in the track width direction. Each of the first and second gap film end faces includes a portion located between the first and second surrounding layer end faces, but does not include any portion interposed between the first surrounding layer end face and the first end face portion or between the second surrounding layer end face and the first end face portion.
摘要:
A plasmon generator has a front end face located in a medium facing surface of a magnetic head. The plasmon generator includes a first portion formed of a first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material. The first portion has an inclined surface facing toward the front end face. The second portion is located between the inclined surface and the front end face, and includes a first end face located in the front end face and a second end face in contact with the inclined surface. The second metal material is higher in Vickers hardness than the first metal material. The first portion has a plasmon exciting part. The front end face generates near-field light.
摘要:
A plasmon generator includes a main body, and a front protrusion protruding from the main body. The front protrusion has a proximal portion which is a boundary with the main body, and a near-field light generating surface located in the medium facing surface of a magnetic head. The main body has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface each facing toward the medium facing surface. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are at a distance from each other and aligned in the track width direction. The proximal portion of the front protrusion is located between the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface.
摘要:
A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a main pole and a plasmon generator. The main pole has a front end face located in the medium facing surface. The plasmon generator has a near-field light generating surface located in the medium facing surface. The front end face of the main pole includes a first end face portion and a second end face portion. The second end face portion is located farther from the near-field light generating surface than is the first end face portion, and is greater than the first end face portion in width in the track width direction. The first end face portion and the near-field light generating surface are equal in width.
摘要:
A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of a dielectric material and has a top surface. The method includes the steps of: forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched; and taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces intersecting at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas containing a first gas contributing to the etching of the layer to be etched and a second gas contributing to the deposition of a sidewall protective film, and changes, during the step, the ratio of the flow rate of the second gas to the flow rate of the first gas so that the ratio increases.
摘要:
A plasmon generator includes a first portion and a second portion. A core of a waveguide includes a main body portion and a protruding portion. The main body portion has a first surface and a second surface parallel to each other. The protruding portion lies on the first surface. A cladding of the waveguide includes a receiving-portion-forming layer lying on the first surface. At least part of the first portion of the plasmon generator is received in a receiving portion defined by the protruding portion and the receiving-portion-forming layer.
摘要:
In a method of manufacturing a near-field light generator, a structure including a core and a polishing stopper layer disposed on the top surface of the core is formed on a first cladding layer. Next, a cladding material layer is formed to cover the first cladding layer and the structure. The cladding material layer is then polished until the polishing stopper layer is exposed. Next, the polishing stopper layer is removed so that the cladding material layer has a protruding portion protruding upward to a higher level than the top surface of the core. The cladding material layer is then polished so as to remove the protruding portion and thereby make the cladding material layer into a second cladding layer. Then, a third cladding layer and a plasmon generator are formed.
摘要:
A plasmon generator has a front end face, a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an intermediate layer. The front end face generates near-field light based on a surface plasmon. The intermediate layer is interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. Each of the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the intermediate layer has an end located in the front end face. Each of the first and second metal layers is formed of a metal material. The intermediate layer is formed of a material higher in Vickers hardness than the metal material used to form the first metal layer and the metal material used to form the second metal layer.