Thin film magnetic head with self-aligned pole tips
US6487040B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 24, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 26, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49044
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A magnetic head includes first and second pole tips separated by a nonmagnetic gap layer. The right side walls of the first and second pole tips are vertically aligned. Similarly, the left side walls of the first and second pole tips are vertically aligned. The side fringing flux is substantially reduced resulting in a magnetic head capable of writing data tracks with well defined boundaries. The fabrication of the magnetic head begins with forming a stack of layers on a substrate. The stack of layers includes a nonmagnetic layer sandwiched between the first pole tip layer and a sacrificial layer which is preferably made of a metal. A protective layer, such as alumina, is then deposited over and around the stack of layers. After planarization and ion milling, the sacrificial layer is exposed. The sacrificial layer is then etched away leaving a volume of space in the protective layer and above the gap layer. An inductive coil with associated dielectric layers are then deposited above the first pole layer. The second pole layer is thereafter deposited over the inductive coil and into the volume of space resulting in the first and second pole tips having vertically aligned side walls.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.