International Business Machines Corporation

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

John I Kim

Richard Hsiao

Vladimir Nikitin

Wen-Chien David Hsiao

Aron Pentek

Ashok Lahiri

Amanda Baer

Clinton David Snyder

Thomas Edward Dinan, Jr

Trevor W Olson

Yuan Yao

Murali Ramasubramanian

Rajarao Jammy

Howard Gordon Zolla

Christopher Carr Parks

Michael R Feldbaum

Yinshi Liu

Jonathan H Griffith

Hicham Moulay Sougrati

Timothy J Moran

Yeak-Chong Wong

Thomas L Leong

Stephen M Lucarini

Andrew Crehan Walker

David B Riggs

George L Mack

Jyh-Shuey (Jerry) Lo

John Bruce Piggott, Jr

Negar Karimi

William J Tilly

Sari Wacks

A method in one embodiment includes forming a layer of a nonmagnetic material above an upper surface of a substrate; forming a resist structure above the layer of nonmagnetic material, wherein the resist structure has an undercut; removing a portion of the layer of nonmagnetic material not covered by the resist structure; depositing a layer of magnetic material above the substrate adjacent a remaining portion of the layer of nonmagnetic material such that at least portions of the layer of magnetic material and the remaining portion of the layer of nonmagnetic material lie in a common plane; removing the resist structure; and forming a write pole above the layer of magnetic material and the remaining portion of the layer of nonmagnetic material. Additional methods are also presented.

Methods for creating a stepped perpendicular magnetic pole via milling and/or metal liftoff

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a stepped, recessed, high magnetic moment pole connected with a write pole. The stepped pole structure helps to channel magnetic flux to the write pole without leaking write field to the magnetic medium. This allows the write head to maintain a high write field strength at very small bit sizes. The method includes depositing a dielectric layer and a first CMP layer over substrate that can include a magnetic shaping layer. A mask is formed over the dielectric layer, the mask having an opening to define the stepped pole structure. The image of the mask is transferred into the dielectric layer. A high magnetic moment material is deposited and a chemical mechanical polishing is performed to planarize the magnetic material and dielectric layer.

Method for creating a magnetic write pole having a stepped perpendicular pole via CMP-assisted liftoff

A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a write pole, a trapezoidal-shaped trailing shield notch, and a gap between the write pole and notch, with the gap being formed of a nonmagnetic mask film, such as alumina, a nonmagnetic metal protective film and a nonmagnetic gap layer. The write pole has a trailing edge that has a width substantially defining the track width and that faces the front edge of the notch but is spaced from it by the gap. The write pole has nonmagnetic filler material, such as alumina, surrounding it except at its trailing edge, where it is in contact with the gap. A reactive ion beam etching (RIBE) process removes the filler material at the side edges of the write pole and thus widens the opening at the side edges. The nonmagnetic metal film protects the underlying mask film and write pole during the widening of the opening. The gap layer and trailing shield notch are deposited into a widened opening above the write pole, so the sides of the notch diverge to cause the generally trapezoidal shape.

Perpendicular magnetic recording write head with notched trailing shield

A method for making a perpendicular magnetic recording write head that has a write pole, a trapezoidal-shaped trailing shield notch, and a gap between the write pole and notch uses a reactive ion beam etching (RIBE) process in CHFthat removes filler material at the side edges of the write pole and thus widens the opening at the side edges. The gap is formed of a nonmagnetic mask film, such as alumina, a nonmagnetic metal protective film and a nonmagnetic gap layer. The nonmagnetic metal film is substantially less reactive to CHFthan the filler material and protects the underlying mask film and write pole during the widening of the opening. The gap layer and trailing shield notch are deposited into a widened opening above the write pole, so the sides of the notch diverge to cause the generally trapezoidal shape.

Method of making a perpendicular magnetic recording write head with notched trailing shield

A first magnetic shield layer of the read head sensor is deposited upon a slider substrate surface. A patterned photoresist is then photolithographically fabricated upon the first magnetic shield layer with openings that are formed alongside the location at which the read sensor will be fabricated. An ion milling step is performed to create pockets within the surface of the magnetic shield layer at the location of the openings in the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is then removed, and a fill layer is deposited across the surface of the magnetic shield layer in a depth greater than the depth of the pocket. Thereafter, a polishing step is conducted to remove portions of the fill layer down to the surface of the magnetic shield layer. A Ginsulation layer is deposited and a magnetic head sensor element is then fabricated upon the insulation layer.

Method for fabricating a magnetic head having an improved magnetic shield

Methods for fabricating pole piece tips for a magnetic transducer are disclosed. The ion-milling operations for trimming Pand notching Pare controlled using feed-forward and feedback. The preferred method of the invention includes steps for setting four time values used in different phases of the ion-milling process based on feed-forward and feedback of measured values including the Pwidth measured in the mask, multiple PB measurements and measurement of the notch depth.

Method for fabricating a pole tip in a magnetic transducer using feed-forward and feedback

The present invention includes an overplated component which includes an enlarged mushroom head having outer portions which overhang a hard baked resist layer. The device is ultimately encapsulated such that no voids and/or redeposition problems exist under the overhang due to the presence of the hard baked resist. While not intended to be limiting in any manner, a device of the present invention is a thin film magnetic head wherein the yoke portion of a magnetic pole is formed utilizing the mushroom plating techniques of the present invention. Another mushroom plated component found in many devices is a mushroom plated electrical interconnecting stud that is formed utilizing the process steps of the present invention.

Self-aligned void filling for mushroomed plating

A process for removing dopant ions from a semiconductor substrate includes exposing the substrate to a non-aqueous organic solvent in liquid and/or vapor form.

Process for removing dopant ions from a substrate

The present invention includes a two-step etching process for notching the P pole of the write head element of a magnetic head. In a first step, the preferred embodiment utilizes a combination of C F and argon gases (designated as C F /Ar) as the etchant gas to preferentially etch portions of the alumna write gap layer. Thereafter, in the second step, argon is used as the etchant gas to preferentially etch the P pole material. The C F /Ar etchant gas preferably includes C F gas in a concentration range of from 50% to 90%, with a preferred concentration range being from 70% to 80%. The etching of the alumna write gap layer is preferably conducted with a first echant ion beam angle of from 5&deg; to 30&deg;, and a second etchant ion beam angle of from 65&deg; to 85&deg;.

Magnetic head P1 magnetic pole notching with reduced polymer deposition

A method of manufacturing includes 2 mushroom plating process starts with an overplated component which includes an enlarged mushroom head having outer portions which overhang a resist layer. The next step in the first process embodiment is a heating step in which the resist layer is hard baked. Thereafter, using a dry etch process, such as a reactive ion etch (RIE) process, the hard baked resist layer is removed in all areas except beneath the overhang of the mushroom head. The area beneath the overhang thereby remains filled with hard baked resist. Thereafter, the device is ultimately encapsulated such that no voids and/or redeposition problems exist under the overhang due to the presence of the hard baked resist. In an alternative process embodiment of the present invention the dry etch process is conducted first upon the resist layer, such that the resist layer is removed in all areas except under the overhang. Thereafter, the device is baked, such that hard baked resist remains beneath the overhang. Ultimately, the device is encapsulated and no voids or redeposition problems exist beneath the overhang due to the presence of the hard baked resist.

A high throughput method for producing the narrow track width inductive head is also provided, whereby the heads may be manufactured in substantial volumes. The new head may be merged or piggy-backed MR or GMR heads, comprising a first pole piece, P , and a second pole piece, P , and is distinctly characterized by write track width is significantly reduced by a preliminary ion milling process before P notching is performed. The preliminary step utilizes an ion milling process to trim the write track width, P B, at an angle between 45 to 85 degrees from the wafer normal. The MR head may then undergo conventional P notching.

Method for manufacturing a magnetic write head

A layer of photoresist provides a stress relief (or cushion) layer between a lift-off polymer layer and a barrier of multi-level lift-off structures. When multiple evaporation steps are required using the same lift-off pattern, the adhesion between organosilicon and organic film is stressed by a first blanked metal film. To prevent delamination between the lift-off polymer layer and RIE barrier photoresist is applied on top of the lift-off polymer and sandwiched between the organosilicon and organic materials. This photoresist acts as a cushion and as an adhesion promoter to reduce delamination after the metal deposition(s).

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

John I Kim