Patent ID: 6067703
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for fabricating a combined thin film magnetic head which includes a magnetoresistive reproducing head part and an inductive recording head part, wherein the magnetoresistive reproducing head part is defined between a lower shielding layer and a merged core layer, and wherein the inductive recording head part is defined between the merged core layer and an upper core layer and is configured to specify a track width for the recording head part by providing the upper core layer in a localized region, the method comprising the steps of:forming the merged core layer to include an elevated portion of the merged core layer in a region corresponding to the localized region in which the upper core layer is to be finally confined;forming an insulative layer on the merged core layer to bring a surface of the insulative layer into general alignment with a surface of the elevated portion;depositing a gap layer over entire surfaces of the elevated portion of the merged core layer and the insulative layer for constituting a gap for the inductive recording head part;forming an etching-protective layer on the gap layer to provide an exposed region of the gap layer left uncovered by the etching-protective layer which is more extensive than the localized region;depositing the upper core layer over entire surfaces of the etching-protective layer and the exposed region of the gap layer left uncovered by the etching-protection layer; andetching through the upper core layer outside the localized region to finally reach a surface of the etching-protective layer and to finally confine the etched upper core layer in the localized region for defining a desired track width for the combined thin film magnetic head.