Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

International Business Machines Corporation

Hung-Chin Guthrie

Ming Jiang

Aron Pentek

Sue Siyang Zhang

Yimin Hsu

Wen-Chien David Hsiao

Edward Hin Pong Lee

Yi Zheng

Yinshi Liu

John Jaekoyun Yang

Jyh-Shuey Jerry Lo

Vladimir Nikitin

Amanda Baer

Michael R Feldbaum

Jian-Huei Feng

Nick Lara

Hong Zhang

Changqing Shi

Ning Shi

Tsung Yuan Chen

Donald Giles Allen

Yunxiao Gao

James Nystrom

Prabodh Ratnaparkhi

Quang Le

Robert Fontana

Xinhui Wang

Wipul Jayasekara

Leping Li

Ying Hong

William L Guthrie

Daniel Wayne Bedell

Eric James Lee

Katalin Pentek

Hieu Lam

Yeak-Chong Wong

Li-Chung Lee

Christopher William Bergevin

Tom King Harris, Iii

Aaron Neuhaus

Yingru Gu

Francisco Agustin Martin

Bin V Cao

Jerry Lo

Methods for fabricating TMR and CPP GMR magnetic heads using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process with a patterned CMP conductive protective layer for sensor stripe height patterning. The method comprises defining a stripe height of a read sensor of a magnetic head reader. The method further comprises refill depositing an insulator layer on the read sensor. The method further comprises performing a CMP process down to the conductive protective layer on the read sensor deposited while defining the read sensor to remove an overfill portion of the insulator layer above the conductive protective layer and to remove a sensor pattern masking structure on the conductive protective layer. As a result, the insulator layer is planarized and smooth with the read sensor, eliminating fencing and alumina bumps typically encountered in the insulator layer at the edge of the patterned sensor.

Methods for fabricating a magnetic head reader using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process for sensor stripe height patterning

Systems and methods for aligning wafers within wafer processing equipment. In a first embodiment, a wafer alignment nozzle comprises a fixed cylindrical member. A moveable cylindrical member is disposed with the fixed cylindrical member in a sliding fit. The moveable cylindrical member comprises a plurality of angled fluid orifices for directing a plurality of streams of the fluid onto a surface of the wafer.

Method for aligning wafers within wafer processing equipment

A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording. The write head includes a substrate and a magnetic write pole formed on the substrate, the write pole having a trailing edge and first and second sides. A magnetic stitched pole is formed over a portion of the magnetic write pole, the stitched pole having a front edge that defines a secondary flare point. First and second non-magnetic side walls are formed at the first and second sides of the write pole. The non-magnetic side walls extend from the substrate at least to the trailing edge of the write pole in a first region near an air bearing surface and wherein the first and second non-magnetic side walls extend from the substrate to a point between the substrate and the trailing edge, allowing the stitched magnetic pole to extend partially over the sides of the write pole.

Perpendicular magnetic write head having a novel shield structure

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method includes forming a write pole, and then depositing a refill layer. A mask structure can be formed over the writ pole and refill layer, the mask structure being configured to define a stitched pole. An ion milling or reactive ion milling can then be performed to remove portions of the refill layer that are not protected by the mask structure. Then a magnetic material can be deposited to form a stitched write pole that defines a secondary flare point. The stitched pole can also be self aligned with an electrical lapping guide in order to accurately locate the front edge of the secondary flare point relative to the air bearing surface of the write head.

Method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic write head

A method for manufacturing a write pole for a perpendicular magnetic write head. The method employs a damascene process to construct the write pole with a very accurately controlled track width. The method includes depositing a layer of material that can be readily removed by reactive ion etching. This material can be referred to as a RIEable material. A mask is formed over the RIEable material and a reactive ion etching is performed to form a tapered trench in the RIEAble material. A CMP stop layer can the be deposited, and a write pole plated into the trench. A CMP can then be performed to define the trailing edge of the write pole. Another masking, etching and plating step can be performed to form a trailing, wrap-around magnetic shield.

Method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic write head with a wrap around shield

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a write pole with a flared step feature that defines a secondary flare point. The method involves depositing a magnetic write pole material on a substrate and then depositing a magnetic material over the write pole material followed by a non-magnetic material. A first mask is formed having a front edge to define the location of the secondary flare point, and one or more material removal processes are used to remove portions of the magnetic layer and non-magnetic layer that are not protected by this first mask. The first mask is replaced by a second mask that is configured to define a write pole, and an ion milling is performed to define the write pole. Shadowing from the magnetic layer and non-magnetic layer form a flared secondary flare point.

Process for self-aligned flare point and shield throat definition prior to main pole patterning

In a perpendicular recording head, a notch is formed in the top write gap at a location on top of the main pole. A perpendicular head with this notched top write gap structure has less transition curvature and better writability while reducing the adjacent track interference (ATI). Also, the process used to fabricate the head ensures that the trailing edge (writing edge) of the main pole is extremely flat with no corner rounding.

Perpendicular magnetic recording head including wrap around shield with notched top write gap and method of fabricating the same

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a wrap around magnetic shield. The method allows a highly accurate short wavelength such as 193 mm photolithography to be used to accurately define the placement and critical dimension of wrap around magnetic shield. The method includes the formation of a magnetic write pole, top gap, and side gap and the deposition of a RIEable fill layer thereover, and CMP to planarization. A 193 nm photolithography and ion milling is used to form a mask over the RIEable layer and one or more reactive ion etching processes are performed to pattern the RIEable layer through 193 nm photolithography mask. A wrap around shield can then be electroplated into the opening formed in the RIEable layer.

Method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic write head with wrap around magnetic trailing and side shields

A perpendicular magnetic recording write head supported on an air-bearing slider has a magnetic write pole (WP) with a WP end at the air-bearing surface (ABS) having a width generally equal to the data track width and a trailing shield (TS) with a TS end generally coplanar with the WP end. The TS has a first portion with a width at the TS end substantially wider than the width of the WP end and a TS notch (TSN) portion with a width at the TS end generally equal to the width of the WP end. The TS first portion has a height in a direction perpendicular to the ABS, and the TSN portion has a throat height (TH) in a direction perpendicular to the ABS that is less than the height of the TS first portion. A nonmagnetic gap layer separates the WP from the TSN portion and a nonmagnetic pad layer separates the WP from the TS first portion. The pad layer has a front edge generally parallel to and recessed from the ABS that defines the TH of the TSN portion, and a thickness that defines the length of the TSN portion in the along-the-track direction.

Perpendicular magnetic recording write head with trailing shield having notch and throat height defined by nonmagnetic pad layer

Methods for improving within wafer and wafer to wafer yields during fabrication of notched trailing shield structures are disclosed. Ta/Rh CMP stop layers are deposited prior to planarization and notch formation to ensure a planar surface for trailing shield structures. These stop layers may be blanket deposited or patterned prior to CMP. Patterned stop layers produce the highest yields.

Methods for the manufacture of notched trailing shields

During planarization of wafers, the thickness of a layer of a wafer is measured at a number of locations, after the wafer has been planarized by chemical mechanical polishing. The thickness measurements are used to automatically determine, from a center to edge profile model to which the measurements are fit, a parameter that controls chemical mechanical polishing, called 'backside pressure.' Backside pressure is determined in some embodiments by a logic test based on the center-to-edge profile model, coefficient of determination R-square of the model, and current value of backside pressure. Note that a 'backside pressure' set point is adjusted only if the fit of the measurements to the model is good, e.g. as indicated by R-square being greater than a predetermined limit. Next, the backside pressure that has been determined from the model is used in planarizing a subsequent wafer.

Run-to-run control of backside pressure for CMP radial uniformity optimization based on center-to-edge model

A magnetic write head structure that maximizes write field strength while minimizing stray fields. The write pole structure maximizes write field strength by minimizing saturation of the magnetic pole tips, and minimizes stray field writing by preventing magnetic fields from extending laterally from the sides of the magnetic pole. The write head structure includes a write pole having a pole tip configured with a stair notched shape and a steep shouldered base beneath the stair notched portion. This configuration maximizes the amount of flux that can be delivered to the pole tip while also avoiding stray fields. The magnetic pole can also be configured with wing shaped extensions that extend laterally from the pole tip region but which are recessed from the ABS by a desired amount. The magnetic write head structure can be manufactured by forming a magnetic pole with a raised portion, depositing a write gap material over the magnetic pole and then forming a magnetic pedestal over the magnetic pole and write gap, the pedestal having a width significantly smaller than the width of the raised portion of the magnetic pole, a first ion mill can then be performed to notch and trim the magnetic pole. Then a non-magnetic layer such as alumina can be deposited and a second ion mill performed to form a stair notched configuration. An alumina bump can be formed prior to ion milling to provide a mask for forming the laterally extending, recessed wings in the pole tip of the magnetic pole.

Magnetic write head having a stair notched, steep shouldered pole and a write gap bump

Methods of fabricating perpendicular write elements for perpendicular magnetic recording heads are discussed. In write element fabrication, write poles are fabricated according to one of many desired methods. The write poles during fabrication are typically covered by a hard mask and a photolithographic soft mask. According to the methods described herein, the soft mask is removed such as by chemical etching. The hard mask is then removed, such as by CMP and ion etching, to expose the write poles. Shield gap material may then be deposited on the write poles to define the shield gap between the write poles and the trailing shields. Trailing shield material may then be deposited on the shield gap material to form the trailing shields corresponding with the write poles.

Fabricating perpendicular write elements in perpendicular magnetic recording heads

A magnetic disk drive head is disclosed including a write head, which includes a Player having a pedestal portion, a gap layer formed on the Player, and a Player formed on the gap layer. The Player includes a shoulder formation having a neck portion and a beveled portion. Also disclosed is a disk drive having a write head with a Player with shoulder formation, and a method for fabricating a write pole for a magnetic recording head having a Player with shoulder formation.

P1 write pole with shoulder formation

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&#xae;. 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.

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

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Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Hung-Chin Guthrie