Perpendicular magnetic recording write head with main pole formed on a metallic amorphous underlayer
US8861137B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 30, 2013 |
| Grant date | Oct 14, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 30, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B5/315
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a main pole that is typically CoFe electroplated into a generally trapezoidal shaped alumina trench. A metallic side gap layer is deposited into the alumina trench to adjust the trench width to the desired main pole dimension. A nonmagnetic metallic amorphous underlayer, preferably an amorphous NiTa alloy or an amorphous NiNb alloy, is then deposited on the side gap layer. A pole seed layer, such as a NiCr/CoFe bilayer, is deposited into the trench onto the metallic amorphous underlayer prior to electroplating the CoFe main pole. The metallic amorphous underlayer serves to reset the growth between the side gap layer and the NiCr/CoFe pole seed layer. The metallic amorphous underlayer does not insulate the electroplating CoFe layer from the metallic side gap layer, which allows for better current conduction normal to the layers, resulting in a main pole with improved magnetic properties.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.