Patent · US Expired

Thin-film magnetic recording head manufacture using selective imaging

US6332962A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
10References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 30, 1998
Grant dateDec 25, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 30, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/30438
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A focused particle beam system, according to one embodiment of the invention, precisely shapes a pole-tip assembly formed by a multi-layer device having a first layer with a first structural element, a second layer with a second structural element, and a shielding layer with a shielding element, the shielding element being located between the first layer and the second layer. The focused particle beam system mills the second structural element without irradiating a first structural element. The system images a selected portion of the multi-layer device to locate the shielding element and thereby avoids irradiating the first structural element. The shielding element separates the first structural element from the second structural element. Based on the location of the shielding element, the system images and mills the second structural element without irradiating the first structural element. In this manner, the focused particle beam system mills the second structural element to produce a desired pole-tip configuration. By producing a desired pole-tip configuration, these methods and apparatus produce a recording transducer capable of high storage density.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.