Western Digital (fremont), Inc.

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Ronghui Zhou

Ming Jiang

Guanghong Luo

Yuankai Zheng

Ming Mao

Yun-Fei Li

Chih-Ching Hu

Dujiang Wan

Chen-jung Chien

Yung-Hung Wang

Daniele Mauri

Danning Yang

Lily Yao

Masahiro Osugi

Christian Kaiser

Zhitao Diao

Lien-Chang Wang

Jinqiu Zhang

Ge Yi

Yan Chen

Hai Sun

Donghong Li

Yunfei Li

Carlos Corona

Xiaoyu Yang

Jinwen Wang

Li He

Xiaohai Xiang

Jerome S Marcelino

Degang Cheng

Ann Lorraine Carvajal

The present disclosure generally relates to a Wheatstone bridge array that has four resistors. Each resistor includes a plurality of TMR structures. Two resistors have identical TMR structures. The remaining two resistors also have identical TMR structures, though the TMR structures are different from the other two resistors. Additionally, the two resistors that have identical TMR structures have a different resistance area as compared to the remaining two resistors that have identical TMR structures. Therefore, the working bias field for the Wheatstone bridge array is non-zero.

Magnetic sensor array with different RA TMR film

A tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor device is disclosed that includes four or more TMR resistors. The TMR sensor device comprises a first TMR resistor comprising a first TMR film, a second TMR resistor comprising a second TMR film different than the first TMR film, a third TMR resistor comprising the second TMR film, and a fourth TMR resistor comprising the first TMR film. The first, second, third, and fourth TMR resistors are disposed in the same plane. The first TMR film comprises a synthetic anti-ferromagnetic pinned layer having a magnetization direction of the reference layer orthogonal to a free layer. The second TMR film comprises a double synthetic anti-ferromagnetic pinned layer having a magnetization direction of the reference layer orthogonal to the magnetization of a free layer, but opposite to the magnetization direction of the reference layer of the first TMR film.

Magnetic sensor with dual TMR films and the method of making the same

A tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor device is disclosed that includes one or more TMR sensors. The TMR sensor device comprises a first resistor comprising a first TMR film, a second resistor comprising a second TMR film different than the first TMR film, a third resistor comprising the second TMR film, and a fourth resistor comprising the first TMR film. The first TMR film comprises a reference layer having a first magnetization direction anti-parallel to a second magnetization direction of a pinned layer. The second TMR film comprises a reference layer having a first magnetization direction parallel to a second magnetization direction of a first pinned layer, and a second pinned layer having a third magnetization direction anti-parallel to the first magnetization direction of the reference layer and the second magnetization direction of the first pinned layer.

Magnetic sensor array with dual TMR film

A Wheatstone bridge array comprising a tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor and a method for manufacturing is disclosed. The bottom lead for the TMR sensor has a very small surface roughness due to not only chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) but also due to forming the bottom lead from multiple layers. The multiple layers include at least a bottom first metal layer and a top second metal layer disposed on the first metal layer. The second metal layer generally has a lower surface roughness than the first metal layer. Additionally, the second metal layer has a slower polishing rate. Therefore, not only does the second metal layer reduce the surface roughness simply be being present, but the slower polishing rate enables the top second metal film to be polished to a very fine surface roughness of less than or equal to &#x2dc;2 Angstroms.

Bottom leads chemical mechanical planarization for TMR magnetic sensors

A method provides a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location. The method provides a main pole using a plurality of masks including a plurality of apertures therein. The plurality of apertures overlap in an overlap region. At least a portion of the main pole resides in the overlap region. A side gap adjacent to a portion of the main pole is provided. The side gap has a conformal portion and a nonconformal portion. The conformal portion is adjacent to the ABS location and the overlap region. The conformal portion is between the ABS location and the nonconformal portion. A side shield is provided. The side gap residing between the side shield and the main pole.

Method for fabricating a magnetic writer having a gradient side gap

A method manufacturing a magnetic writer provides an intermediate layer including multiple sublayers is provided. The sublayers include first and second nonmagnetic layers and an etch stop layer being between the first and second nonmagnetic layers. A trench is formed in the intermediate layer using at least one etch, such as a reactive ion etch. The trench has a location and profile corresponding to the main pole. A main pole having a bottom and a top is provided in the trench. At least a portion of the second nonmagnetic layer is removed using at least a second etch, such as a wet etch process. The etch stop layer is resistant to the at least the second etch. A half side shield is provided on at least part of the first nonmagnetic layer. The half side shield bottom is between the top and the bottom of the main pole.

Method for fabricating a magnetic writer having half shields

A method fabricates a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) and that is optically coupled with a laser. The method includes providing a waveguide for directing light from the laser toward the ABS and providing a write pole having a pole tip with an ABS location facing the surface. The pole tip is in a down track direction from the waveguide. The method also includes providing at least one shield including a shield pedestal. The shield pedestal is in the down track direction from the pole tip. At least one protective pad is provided adjacent to the write pole and between the ABS location and the shield pedestal.

Method for providing a heat assisted magnetic recording transducer having protective pads

Methods of forming a write pole are disclosed. A structure comprising a bottom insulating layer and a top insulating layer is provided. A top damascene trench is formed in the top insulating layer, and a bottom damascene trench is formed in the bottom insulating layer. The bottom damascene trench and a portion of the top damascene trench are filled with a pole material. The top insulating layer and a portion of the pole material located above the bottom damascene trench are removed.

Dual damascene process for producing a PMR write pole

Methods for manufacturing electronic lapping guides (ELGs) for writer heads that closely track the pole formation of the writer heads are provided. Once such method includes forming an ELG adjacent to a writer head that is subjected to substantially all of the sub-processing actions associated with the pole formation of the writer head, lapping the pole material, measuring a resistance of the ELG during the lapping, comparing the measured resistance with a target resistance, and terminating the lapping based on the comparison of the measured resistance with the target resistance.

Methods for manufacturing electronic lapping guides for writer heads that closely track pole formation of the writer heads

A method fabricates a magnetic transducer having air-bearing surface (ABS) location and an intermediate layer having a trench therein. The trench has a shape and location corresponding to a main pole. The method includes depositing at least one main pole layer. A portion of the main pole layer(s) is in the trench. A refill layer is provided on the main pole layer(s). The main pole layer(s) may not be patterned after being provided and before the refill layer is provided. At least the refill layer is planarized. A full-film metal planarization is performed for at least one of the refill layer and the at least one main pole layer. The full-film metal planarization may include a bulk ion mill and/or ion beam scan.

Method for fabricating a magnetic writer using a full-film metal planarization

A method fabricates a magnetic transducer having a nonmagnetic layer and an ABS location corresponding to an ABS. A pole trench is provided in the nonmagnetic layer. The pole trench has a pole tip region and a yoke region. At least one pole material is provided. The pole material(s) have an external protrusion that is above and external to the pole trench. A hard mask that covers at least the external protrusion is provided. A portion of the nonmagnetic layer adjacent to the pole trench is removed to form a side shield trench. At least one side shield material is provided. A portion of the side shield material(s) are adjacent to the hard mask and fill at least a portion of the side shield trench. The side shield material(s) and the pole material(s) are planarized to form at least one side shield and a main pole.

Method for providing a magnetic recording transducer using a combined main pole and side shield CMP for a wraparound shield scheme

A process for fabricating a magnetic recording transducer for use in a data storage system comprises providing a substrate, an underlayer and a first nonmagnetic intermediate layer deposited to a first thickness on and in contact with the underlayer, performing a first scanning polishing on a first section of the first intermediate layer to planarize the first section of the first intermediate layer to a second thickness, providing a main pole in the planarized first section of the first intermediate layer, providing a first pattern of photoresist on and in contact with the first section of the first intermediate layer, the pattern comprising an aperture to define a side shield trench, performing a wet etch to remove at least a portion of the first intermediate layer thereby exposing at least one of the plurality of main pole sides, and depositing side shield material in the side shield trench.

Process for fabricating a magnetic pole and shields

A method and system for fabricating a read sensor on a substrate for a read transducer is described. A read sensor stack is deposited on the substrate. A mask is provided on the on the read sensor stack. The mask has a pattern that covers a first portion of the read sensor stack corresponding to the read sensor, covers a second portion of the read sensor stack distal from the read sensor, and exposes a third portion of the read sensor stack between the first and second portions. The read sensor is defined from the read sensor stack. A hard bias layer is deposited. An aperture free mask layer including multiple thicknesses is provided. A focused ion beam scan (FIBS) polishing step is performed on the mask and hard bias layers to remove a portion of the mask and hard bias layers based on the thicknesses.

Method and system for providing a magnetic recording transducer using an ion beam scan polishing planarization

A method for forming a write pole comprises forming a stop layer over a substrate layer of a wafer, the stop layer having an opening above a damascene trench in the substrate layer, and forming a buffer layer over the stop layer, the buffer layer having an opening above the opening of the stop layer. The method further comprises plating a layer of magnetic material over the wafer, disposing a first sacrificial material over a region of the magnetic material above the damascene trench, performing a milling or etching operation over the wafer to remove the magnetic material not covered by the first sacrificial material and to remove the first sacrificial material, disposing a second sacrificial material over the wafer, and performing a polishing operation over the wafer to remove the region of the magnetic material above the damascene trench, the second sacrificial material, and the buffer layer.

Damascene write poles produced via full film plating

A method and system for fabricating magnetic recording transducer are described. The magnetic recording transducer has a main pole including a plurality of sides, an intermediate layer adjacent to the sides of the main pole, and a field region distal from the main pole. The method and system include providing at least one trench in the intermediate layer. The trench(es) are between the main pole and the field region. The method and system also include providing a stop layer. A portion of the stop layer resides in at least part of the trench(es) and on at least part of the field region. The method and system also include removing a portion of the intermediate layer using a wet etch. The stop layer is resistant to removal by the wet etch. The method and system also include depositing a full wrap-around shield layer on the main pole.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Ronghui Zhou