Micrion Corporation

Russell Mello

Raymond Hill

Charles J Libby

Gregory J Athas

Donald E Yansen

Randall Grafton Lee

This invention relates to a multi-layer lithographically fabricated device used to produce improved thin-film recording heads. It further relates to a focused particle beam system for milling a recording head pole-tip assembly without irradiating a sensitive structure, e.g. a read head, of the recording head. The invention precisely forms a pole-tip assembly by milling a second structural element without irradiating a first structural element. The invention avoids irradiating the first structural element by placing a first marker element, which can be imaged and/or damaged, in the same layer of a multi-layer lithographically fabricated device as the first structural element. The marker element has a fixed spatial relationship to the first structural element. Thus, by imaging the first marker element and the second structural element, and knowing the separation between the first structural element and the first marker element, a focused particle beam system can determine the relative location of the first and second structural elements. Consequently, the focused particle beam system can determine, without irradiating the sensitive first structural element, which portions of the second structural element require milling. In this manner, the focused particle beam system mills the second structural element to produce a desired pole-tip configuration. By producing a desired pole-tip configuration, these methods and apparatus produce an improved recording head capable of higher storage density than prior art techniques.

Focused ion beam apparatus for forming thin-film magnetic recording heads

Thin-film magnetic recording heads and systems and processes for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention is understood as a focused particle beam system that includes a pattern recognition element and that employs the pattern recognition element to image and analyze the pole-tip assembly footprint of a recording head and that employs a processor to generate instruction signals that direct a focused particle beam to remove selected portions of the recording head and thereby shape the pole-tip assembly of the recording head. The focused particle beam system provides a precision milling device that can employ the coordinate information to mill selectively the recording head and thereby shape the geometry of the pole-tip assembly footprint, including geometries that have contoured surfaces.

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Stoneham, MA, United States of America

Russell Mello