Abstract:
A magnetic read/write head and slider assembly and method for forming said magnetic read/write head and slider assembly, wherein said assembly has improved heat spreading and dissipation properties and exhibits significantly reduced thermal protrusion during operation. The method of formation is simple and efficient, involving only the extension of one of the conductive mounting pads so that it is in thermal contact with a portion of the slider assembly surface that is over the read/write element.
Abstract:
A method for forming a trimmed upper pole piece for a magnetic write head, said pole piece having a uniform width above and below a write gap layer. Prior art methods of trimming pole pieces to a final width using ion-beam etches produce pole pieces with thickness differentials due to the etch resistant nature of the alumina write-gap filling material. The present method uses NiCr, NiFeCr or Ru as write gap filling materials which have an etch rate which is substantially equal to the etch rate of the other layers forming the pole piece and are highly corrosion resistant.
Abstract:
A method for forming small, isolated device structures by photolithography, utilizing overlapping bi-layer suspension-bridge shaped photomasks. The use of a suspended mask to define a device shape beneath it eliminates the problems associated with uneven undercutting of the usual bi-layer mask which is a stencil portion formed on a lower pedestal. In particular, the use of a suspended mask eliminates undesirable dielectric buildup around the device caused by an insufficiently undercut pedestal or of premature mask lift-off caused by an overly undercut pedestal.
Abstract:
A giant magneto-resistive head is provided which includes a novel high data-rate stitched pole inductive magnetic write head. The write head incorporates a non-magnetic spacer layer and a magnetic pole yoke that is recessed from the magnetic pole tip. The spacer layer shortens the throat height of the write head, reduces its saturation write current, and improves its overwrite and side erasure performance.
Abstract:
A method for fabricating a flux concentrating stitched write head for high data rate applications wherein said flux concentration is achieved by means of a non-magnetic step embedded into a portion of the lower magnetic pole just beneath the write gap layer. The design permits extremely short throat heights, which will be required by future high data rate applications.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head includes the following steps. Form a low magnetic moment, first magnetic shield layer over a substrate. Form a read gap layer with a magnetoresistive head over the first shield layer. Form a seed layer over the read gap layer covered with a frame mask with a width “F”. Form a PLM second shield layer over the seed layer and planarize the shield layer. Form a non-magnetic copper or dielectric spacer layer over the PLM second shield layer. Form a first HMM, lower pole layer over the non-magnetic spacer layer. Cover the first HMM, lower pole layer with a write gap layer. Form an write head mask composed of two parallel rows of resist with an outer width “W” over the seed layer. Between the two rows of resist of the write head mask is a trench having a width “N”. Then form an HMM, upper pole layer over the write gap layer aside from the write head mask. Outside of the write head mask remove the upper pole layer and shape the lower pole layer by an IBE process.
Abstract:
A high data-rate stitched pole inductive magnetic write head incorporating a non-magnetic spacer layer and a magnetic pole yoke that is recessed from the magnetic pole tip. Said spacer layer is deposited as part of a self-aligned, patterned photoresist process, wherein the spacer layer is deposited first and the P2 portion of the upper pole assembly is then plated over it to form the pole tip configuration. Increasing the thickness of the spacer layer, while keeping it within a specified tolerance range, allows the upper stitched P3 portion of the pole piece to be recessed relative to the tip of P2. The spacer layer shortens throat height, reduces saturation write current, and improves overwrite and side erasure performance.
Abstract:
As the read capabilities of magnetic disk systems improve due to advanced GMR heads, it becomes necessary to correspondingly reduce the area of recorded data. This requires a narrowing of the stitched sub-pole at the write gap. This has proved difficult for pole widths less than about 0.4 microns because of problems in filling the mold. In the present invention this is overcome by introducing a layer of PMGI (polydimethylglutarimide) between the planarized positive photoresist layer that comprises the mold and the non-magnetic write gap layer on which the mold rests. This greatly facilitates formation of a high aspect ratio hole with a clean flat bottom and essentially vertical sides as well as the subsequent removal of the photoresist after said hole has been filled through electroplating to form a stitched sub-pole.
Abstract:
A merged read/write magnetic recording head comprises a low magnetic moment first magnetic shield layer over a substrate. A read gap layer with a magnetoresistive head is formed over the first shield layer. A shared pole comprises a low magnetic moment second magnetic shield layer plated on a sputtered seed PLM layer over the read gap layer, a non-magnetic layer plated over the PLM layer and a HMM lower pole layer plated over the second magnetic shield layer. A write gap layer is formed over the first high magnetic moment pole layer of the shared pole. An upper pole comprises a high magnetic moment pole layer over the write gap layer.
Abstract:
A method for fabricating a soft adjacent layer (SAL) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor element and several soft adjacent layer (SAL) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor elements which may be fabricated employing the method. There is first provided a substrate. There is formed over the substrate a dielectric layer, where the dielectric layer has a first surface of the dielectric layer and a second surface of the dielectric layer opposite the first surface of the dielectric layer. There is also formed over the substrate a magnetoresistive (MR) layer contacting the first surface of the dielectric layer. There is also formed over the substrate a soft adjacent layer (SAL), where the soft adjacent layer (SAL) has a first surface of the soft adjacent layer (SAL) and a second surface of the soft adjacent layer (SAL). The first surface of the soft adjacent layer (SAL) contacts the second surface of the dielectric layer. Finally, there is also formed over the substrate a transverse magnetic biasing layer, where the transverse magnetic biasing layer contacts the second surface of the soft adjacent layer (SAL), and where at least one of the dielectric layer, the magnetoresistive (MR) layer, the soft adjacent layer (SAL) and the transverse magnetic biasing layer is a patterned layer formed employing an etch mask which serves as a lift-off stencil for forming a patterned second dielectric layer adjoining an edge of the patterned layer. The invention also contemplates a soft adjacent layer (SAL) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor element formed with the magnetoresistive (MR) layer interposed between the substrate and the soft adjacent layer (SAL). Similarly, the invention also contemplates a soft adjacent layer (SAL) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor element employing a transverse magnetic biasing layer formed of a hard bias permanent magnet material.