Perpendicular magnetic write head having a magnetic write pole with a concave trailing edge

US7576951B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. · NL

Inventors

• Donald G. Allen · Franklin, US
• Amanda Baer · Campbell, US
• Michael Feldbaum · San Jose, US
• Hung-Chin Guthrie · Saratoga, US
• Wen-Chien David Hsiao · San Jose, US
• Yimin Hsu · Sunnyvale, US
• Ming Jiang · San Jose, US
• Yinshi Liu · Foster City, US
• Aaron Neuhaus · San Jose, US
• Vladimir Nikitin · Campbell, US
• Aron Pentek · San Jose, US
• Katalin Pentek · San Jose, US
• Yi Zheng · San Ramon, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 25, 2006
• Grant date: Aug 18, 2009
• Expiry date: Apr 29, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G11B5/3163
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording having a write pole with a concave trailing edge. The magnetic write pole can have a trapezoidal shape with first and second laterally opposed sides that are further apart at the trailing edge than at the leading edge. The write head may or may not include a magnetic trailing shield, and if a trailing shield is included it is separated from the trailing edge by a non-magnetic write gap layer. The concave trailing edge improves magnetic performance such as by improving the transition curvature. A method for constructing the write head includes forming a magnetic write pole by forming a mask structure over a deposited write pole material, the mask structure having an alumina hard mask and an image transfer layer such as DURAMIDE®. An alumina fill layer is then deposited and a chemical mechanical polish is performed to open up the image transfer layer. A reactive on etch is performed to remove the image transfer layer and a reactive ion mill or reactive ion etch is performed to remove the alumina hard mask and form a concave surface on the write pole.