Method of making a thin film recording head apparatus utilizing

Abstract

A thin film recording head which utilizes polyimide as the coil encapsulant. The polyimide encapsulant is self planarizing and lends itself to processing of the coil vias, magnetic shunt vias and apex tapers. Methods of fabricating a thin film recording head and forming coil vias, magnetic shunt vias and apex tapers are also disclosed. In general, an insulating material is deposited on a bottom magnetic yoke. A first layer of polyimide is then deposited of the insulating material. Then, a three layer photoresist structure is deposited on the first layer of polyimide, which includes a transfer layer deposited between two layers of photoresist. The top layer of photoresist is developed and the transfer layer is etched. The first layer of photoresist is then etched into the polyimide layer to form troughs therein. The coil material is then deposited into the etched troughs. The coil material comprises a layer of metal having a relatively thin passivation layer deposited thereover. The photoresist and transfer layers and unwanted coil material are then removed by ultrasonic agitation in acetone. A second layer of polyimide is then deposited over the formed coil structure to encapsulate and planarize it. The method which forms the coil vias, magnetic shunt vias and apex tapers of the recording head after formation of the encapsulated coil comprises the following steps. First, a photoresist layer is deposited on top of the second layer of polyimide. The photoresist layer is then patterned to define coil vias, magnetic shunt vias and apex taper locations. Then, this structure is heated to a temperature less than 120 degrees Celsius to round the corners of the photoresist layer at the coil via, magnetic shunt via and apex angle locations. Finally, the patterned photoresist layer and underlying polyimide layer are etched to provide the coil vias, magnetic shunt vias and apex tapers. Thereafter, the top magnetic yoke is deposited over the encapsulated structure to complete the thin film magnetic recording head.