North American Philips Corporation

Philips Electronics North America Corporation

Terry Mitchell

William P Wood

Arthur Calderon

Paul F Michalek

Todd Backer

Wei Cheng Hsie

In a thin film magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistive sensing element (MRE) located inwardly from the head face, a first section of a broken flux guide extending inwardly from the head face to overlie one peripheral edge portion of the MRE, and a second section overlying an opposite peripheral edge portion of the MRE, the space overlying the MRE between the flux guide sections is filled with a poller such as a photoresist, providing a smooth surface for a test/bias conductor, reducing shorts due to inadequate step coverage, and providing mechanical stress relief, leading to improved stability of the MRE.

Thin film magnetic head having polymer on broken flux guide sections,

Thin film magnetic head structure includes digital read/write heads and analog read heads integrated on a single substrate. The 'wrap around pole effect' is reduced or eliminated by having the thicknesses of the digital lower flux guides and the analog read gap-defining layer approximately the same, resulting in improved signal output from the digital read heads. The structure is useful in cassette decks designed to play both digital and analog compact cassettes.

Integrated thin film magnetic head with planar structure

Growing community of inventors

St. Louis Park, MN, United States of America

Terry Mitchell