Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

Magic Technologies, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Advanced Numicro Systems, Inc.

Headway Technologies, Incorporated

Guomin Mao

Yi Zheng

Aron Pentek

Rongping Wang

Hicham Moulay Sougrati

Teryl Pratt

Satyanarayana Myneni

Chyu-Jiuh Torng

Wen-Chien David Hsiao

Edward Hin Pong Lee

Tom Zhong

Sue Siyang Zhang

Yee-Chung Fu

Wei Cao

Xiaoye Zhao

Quan-chiu Harry Lam

Hemant P Mungekar

Xiaozhong Dang

Jun Chen

Ramesh Gopalan

Thao Pham

Andy Chuang

Methods and apparatus for plasma processing are provided herein. For example, apparatus can include a system for plasma processing including a remote plasma source including a supply terminal configured to connect to a power source and an output configured to deliver RF power to a plasma block of the remote plasma source for creating a plasma and a controller configured to control operation of the remote plasma source based on a measured input power at the supply terminal.

Methods and systems for monitoring input power for process control in semiconductor process systems

A plasma ignition circuit includes a transformer having a primary coil configured to couple an RF power supply. A first secondary coil is configured to couple a remote plasma source (RPS), and a second secondary coil. The plasma ignition circuit further includes a control switch having an input configured to couple the second secondary coil and an output configured to capacitively couple the RPS and a switch controller. The switch controller is configured to upon sensing a secondary RF voltage applied to the second secondary coil in response to an RF voltage applied by RF power supply to the primary coil, enable the control switch to capacitively apply the secondary RF voltage to the RPS to ignite a plasma within the RPS. Upon sensing a drop in plasma impedance when the plasma is ignited, disable the control switch to discontinue applying the secondary RF voltage to the RPS.

Plasma ignition circuit

Approaches for a magnetic write head having a stacked coil architecture. Embodiments utilize the better process control capability available with thin films' thicknesses, compared to the control capability of vertical gap-filling processes, which provides for better scalability to shorter yoke length magnetic write heads, which are faster at writing data bits than are magnetic write heads having a longer yoke length.

Magnetic write head having a stacked coil architecture for high data rate performance

A magnetic head, according to one embodiment, includes a sensor structure extending from an air bearing surface end thereof in a stripe height direction, the sensor structure having sidewalls on opposite sides thereof, the sidewalls extending between a top and a bottom of the sensor structure, the sidewalls extending in the stripe height direction, wherein a spacing between the sidewalls in a track width direction along the top of the sensor structure is about constant therealong in the stripe height direction.

System and method of forming spacer structures using ultra narrow magnetic head fabrication

A method for manufacturing a magnetic read sensor allows for the construction of a very narrow trackwidth sensor while avoiding problems related to mask liftoff and shadowing related process variations across a wafer. The process involves depositing a plurality of sensor layers and forming a first mask structure. The first mask structure has a relatively large opening that encompasses a sensor area and an area adjacent to the sensor area where a hard bias structure can be deposited. A second mask structure is formed over the first mask structure and includes a first portion that is configured to define a sensor dimension and a second portion that is over the first mask structure in the field area.

Differentiated liftoff process for ultra-shallow mask defined narrow trackwidth magnetic sensor

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write pole using a mask that includes a multi-layer hard mask. The multi-layer hard mask hard mask includes a first hard mask layer that is constructed of a Si containing material that can be spun on and a second hard mask material that is deposited by a deposition process such as sputter deposition. The first hard mask layer has optical properties that allow it to function well as a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) and also has optical properties that match well with an underlying image transfer layer. The second hard mask material has good selectivity for reactive ion etching so that it functions well as a RIE hard mask.

Method for manufacturing a magnetic write pole using a multi-layered hard mask structure

The present invention generally relates to methods for forming a sensor structure utilizing a shallow and narrow hard mask stencil. In one embodiment, a sensor structure is formed by utilizing a four-layered hard mask stencil. The four-layered hard mask stencil includes a first mask layer, a second mask layer disposed over the first hard mask, a third mask layer disposed over the second mask layer, and a forth mask layer disposed over the third mask layer. In another embodiment, a sensor structure is formed by utilizing a three-layered hard mask stencil. The three-layered hard mask stencil includes a first mask layer, a second mask layer disposed over the first mask layer, and a third mask layer disposed over the second mask layer. The sensor structure is formed with a two-step chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process.

Super shallow laminated hard mask stencil for magnetic read sensor fabrication

Write heads may be formed by reactive ion etching (RIE) a dielectric mask and then reactive ion etching a polymeric underlayer. The first RIE affects the second RIE. The first portion of the first RIE process is performed with a ratio of CFto CHFbetween about 1.3 to 2, a gas flow ratio of CFto He between 2.2 and about 3, and a ratio of RF source power to RF bias power between about 10 and about 16. The second portion of the first RIE process is performed with a ratio of CFto CHFbetween about 0.3 to 0.8, a gas flow ratio of CFto He between about 1.2 and about 1.8, and a ratio of RF source power to RF bias between about 22 to 28. With the above parameters, the dielectric mask can be formed with minimized damage on the underlayer.

Method for defect reduction in magnetic write head fabrication

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write pole of a magnetic write head that achieves improved write pole definition reduced manufacturing cost and improves ease of photoresist mask re-work. The method includes the use of a novel bi-layer hard mask beneath a photoresist mask. The bi-layer mask includes a layer of silicon dielectric, and a layer of carbon over the layer of silicon dielectric. The carbon layer acts as an anti-reflective coating layer that is unaffected by the photolithographic patterning process used to pattern the write pole and also acts as an adhesion layer for resist patterning. In the event that the photoresist patterning is not within specs and a mask re-work must be performed, the bi-layer mask can remain intact and need not be removed and re-deposited. In addition, the low cost and ease of use silicon dielectric and carbon reduce manufacturing cost and increase throughput.

Method for manufacturing a magnetic write head using novel mask structure

A method for manufacturing a magnetic sensor that allows the sensor to be constructed with a very narrow track width and with smooth, well defined side walls. A tri-layer mask structure is deposited over a series of sensor layers. The tri-layer mask structure includes an under-layer, a Si containing hard mask deposited over the under-layer and a photoresist layer deposited over the Si containing hard mask. The photoresist layer is photolithographically patterned to define a photoresist mask. A first reactive ion etching is performed to transfer the image of the photoresist mask onto the Si containing hard mask. The first reactive ion etching is performed in a chemistry that includes CF, CHF, O, and He. A second reactive ion etching is then performed in an oxygen chemistry to transfer the image of the Si containing hard mask onto the under-layer, and an ion milling is performed to define the sensor.

Method for manufacturing a magnetoresistive sensor

A method according to one embodiment includes depositing a dielectric hard mask layer above a polymer mask under-layer; forming a photoresist mask above the hard mask layer; transferring the image of the photoresist mask onto the hard mask layer using reactive ion etching, thereby defining a hard mask; determining that a critical dimension bias of the hard mask is within or outside a specification; and changing a level of an input source power used during a subsequent reactive ion etching step to move the critical dimension bias towards a target critical dimension bias when the critical dimension bias of the hard mask is outside the specification. Additional embodiments are also disclosed.

Profile method in magnetic write head fabrication

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write pole of a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. A magnetic write pole material is deposited, followed by union milling hard mask, a polymer mask under-layer followed by a dielectric hard mask material, followed by a photoresist. The photoresist is patterned to define a write pole shape and the shape of the patterned photoresist is transferred onto the underlying dielectric hard mask by a novel reactive ion etching that is performed in a chemistry that includes one or more fluorine containing gases and He. The presence of He in the reactive ion etching tool helps to improve the profile of the patterned dielectric hard mask. In addition, RIE parameters such a gas ratio (e.g. CF4 to CHF3 gas ratio) and power ratio (e.g. source power to bias power) are adjusted to optimize the profile of the patterned dielectric mask.

Method for manufacturing a magnetic write pole of a perpendicular magnetic write head using novel mask fabrication

Two methods of fabricating a MEMS scanning mirror having a tunable resonance frequency are described. The resonance frequency of the mirror is set to a particular value by mass removal from the backside of the mirror during fabrication.

Process for MEMS scanning mirror with mass remove from mirror backside

The present invention generally relates to a method of forming a magnetic head while ensuring residues do not negatively impact the magnetic head. In particular, when performing a RIE process to remove DLC, oxygen gas can leave residues that will negatively impact the RIE process performed on the next substrate to enter the chamber. By utilizing COrather than O, the residues will not be created and therefore will not impact processing of the next substrate that enters the chamber.

Removing residues in magnetic head fabrication

Methods of making write poles for perpendicular magnetic recording write heads. The bevel angle of the write pole for a perpendicular magnetic recording write head affects the performance of the write head. By forming reinforcement layer on the polymeric underlayer mask to enhance the mask durability during ion mill and tapering the polymeric underlayer above the non-magnetic mill mask layer using oxygen and nitrogen based reactive ion etch process, the bevel angle of the magnetic write pole can be increased greatly to meet the demands of the next and future generations of magnetic recording write heads.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Guomin Mao