Method to prevent electrostatic discharge for MR/GMR wafer fabrication
US6415500B1 · kind B1 · utility
21Cited by
19References
23Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 13, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 13, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49165
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and structures are disclosed which avoid electrostatic charge build up and subsequent electrostatic discharge (ESD) during the wafer fabrication process of magnetoresistive (MR) or giant magnetoresistive (GMR) read/write heads of magnetic disk drives. This is achieved by designing the wafer layout and process so that the MR/GMR sensor film is shorted to the magnetic shields of the head through shorting paths so that there is an equal potential between MR/GMR sensor film and magnetic shields during the entire fabrication process.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.