Narrow track thin film magnetic head and fabrication method thereof

Abstract: In a composite magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistive read head (10) including a magnetic thin film having a magnetoresistive effect and soft magnetic members interposing the soft magnetic film between them through a non-magnetic insulation layer, an induction type write head (11) including poles formed in a moving direction of a medium and a conductor crossing the poles, and disposed in the proximity of the magnetoresistive head, and a substrate (5) supporting these heads, the present disclosure describes a composite magnetic head characterized in that part of a floating surface inclusive of the magnetic head constituent members has recesses (7, 8) and the read/write operations to and from the medium are effected by the portion interposed by these recesses.

Description: The present invention relates to a magnetic head and to a fabrication method for such a head according to the preambles of the independent claims. An embodiment of the present invention relates particularly to a read/write magnetic head which is suitable for high density read/write operations. A conventional magnetic head technology is disclosed in JP-A-59-178609, for example. A magnetic head of the type in which only a head gap portion projects to a medium direction has been proposed in order to accomplish high density recording in magnetic recording. A head and a method according to the preamble of the independent claims is known from "IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS", Vol. 24, No. 6, November, 1988, pp. 2841 - 2843, this document describes a method of deciding a track width of a magnetic head by applying machining from an air bearing surface side. The heads are fabricated using the ion-beam etching method. As to a magnetoresistive head (hereinafter referred to as the "MR head") used as a read-only magnetic head, too, JP-A-59-71124 and JP-A-1-277313 disclose the structure in which only a track width portion (magnetic sensing region) is projected to a medium opposing surface). On the other hand, a read/write magnetic head produced by integrating the MR head and an induction type write head is known from JP-A-51-44917. However, the magnetic head having the structure of the IEEE reference described above involves the problem that off-track performance is low because a flux leaks from regions other than the track width which is defined by etching. Since a relatively wide region of a slider rail is removed by etching, floating characteristics of a slider vary greatly before and after machining. If etching technique used for an ordinary semiconductor process is utilized, it becomes extremely difficult to coat uniformly a resist onto the slider rail, and the problem of mass-producibility is left unsolved. The technology disclosed in JP-A-59-71124 and JP-A-1-277313 is not free from the following problem. When the MR head only the magnetic sensing region of which is allowed to project is produced, magnetic shield layers that interpose the MR sensor between them from both sides are greater than the width of projection, so that flux from adjacent tracks which cross one another through these shield layers results in noise. This invites the problem that a signal-to-noise ratio drops when signals become weaker with a smaller track width. Furthermore, when a composite magnetic head is produced by combining the MR sensor only the magnetic sensitive region of which projects and the induction type write head, the width of the write magnetic pole and that of the projecting portion of the MR sensor deviate from each other due to a positioning error and the ratio of this deviation to the track width becomes greater with a smaller track width. Therefore, another problem occurs that read efficiency drops. In other words, the conventional MR head described above employs the structure wherein only the track width portion is projected to the medium opposing surface so as not to detect signals at portions other than at the read track width for the purpose of accomplishing a smaller track width. In the conventional head of this kind, an MR sensor pattern with only the track width portion projecting is formed on a substrate and a read head and the like are formed in such a manner as to align with this projecting portion. Thereafter the substrate is cut and the cut surface is polished in order to obtain a head only whose projecting portion is exposed to a medium opposing surface. Accordingly, the projecting width of the MR sensor and the width of shield layers and the width of the recording magnetic pole projecting with the MR sensor do not inevitably coincide with one another, respectively. It is an object of the present invention to provide a narrow track magnetic head having excellent off-track performance and a fabrication method thereof. It is another object of the present invention to provide a magnetic head having a high signal-to-noise ratio. It is another object of the present invention to provide a fabrication method of a magnetic head which reduces the track width of a magnetic head without changing floating characteristics of a slider. It is another object of the present invention to provide a fabrication method of a magnetic head for high density recording having a narrow track width at a high fabrication yield. These objects are solved in accordance with the features of the independent claims, dependent claims are directed on preferred embodiments of the invention. Local recesses are defined near a magnetic gap of the magnetic head or its magnetic sensing region so as to define the width of these members. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, these trenches or recesses are formed by focused ion beam (hereinafter referred to as "FIB") machining. A conductive material is packed into these trenches or recesses. Track width machining is carried out as a bulk from an air bearing surface side after an MR sensor and shield layers are formed on a substrate. A write head and a read head may be formed on a substrate and then track width machining is carried out by etching from a polished and cut surface in order to prevent the track position error between the write head and the read head. In other words, while only the track width portion of a soft magnetic film of each of the write and read heads constituting the magnetic head is left on a floating surface, the other portions are removed in such a manner as to increase the distance from the medium. At the same time, track width machining is applied also to the shield layer of the read head so that only the projecting portion is exposed on the floating surface. In still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a stopper material for etching is disposed in advance on a machining portion in a head lamination process in order to prevent the exposure of a planarization layer that covers the coil of the write head and a coil when machining is made from the floating surface. Part of a rail of an air bearing surface of a head slider may be machined by use of a focused ion beam. The shape of the magnetic head may be machined by use of a beam having focused energy without coating a resist onto the slider rail. When at least one trench is disposed at part of the air bearing surface of the magnetic head with the medium, a magnetic flux does not leak from regions other than from the track width region defined by the trench. Accordingly, a narrow track magnetic head having high off-track performance can be provided. Yield and accuracy of machining can be improved by using a focused ion beam when the trench is formed only at part of the air bearing surface. The leak of the flux can be reduced further by packing a material into the trench described above. After the MR sensor and the shield layer are formed on the substrate, track width machining is carried out as a whole from the air bearing surface side with respect to the medium and in this manner, the width of the shield layer can be made substantially equal to the projecting width of the MR sensor. Accordingly, the flux from adjacent tracks does not mix through the shield layer, resulting in no noise, so that a magnetic head having a high signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained. In the present invention, the distance between the members inclusive of the magnetic shield layer and the medium and between the magnetoresistive sensor and the medium, that is, the spacing, is great at the portions other than the projecting portion which functions as the magnetic sensing region. Accordingly, the signals from the portions other than the magnetic sensing region can be reduced remarkably. When a floating distance is 0.15 µm and a move-back distance is 2 µm, for example, a signal from adjacent tracks can be reduced by at least -50 dB with respect to a signal at a recording wavelength of 2 µm. Since the portions other than the magnetic sensing region are thus moved back, the noise resulting from the adjacent tracks can be reduced drastically. Positioning of the track width between the write head and the read head can be made extremely precisely by carrying out track width machining of both of the heads simultaneously and as a bulk. If an etching stopper is used, an etching margin can be increased even when FIB is not used. If the projecting portion is formed by utilizing focused ion beam etching (FIB) or if a method which defines a trench at part of the slider rail of the head is employed, a trench having a large aspect ratio can be formed in a very small region. Consequently, machining does not exert adverse influences on the floating characteristics of the slider. If the shape of the magnetic head is machined by a beam having focused energy without coating a resist onto the slider rail, a desired shape can be machined at a high yield. Furthermore, since an electrically conductive layer can be formed inside the trench thus formed, a magnetic shield material can be packed easily into the trench by field plating or the like, and a head having high off-track performance can be fabricated. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic pole portion of a head in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the field distribution of the magnetic head of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the frequency dependence characteristics of Hx of the magnetic head of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a diagram showing comparatively off-track performance of the magnetic head of the present invention and off-track performance of a conventional magnetic head; Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the relation between the change of a read output of the magnetic head of the present invention and a track width; Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the relation between an incident angle of FIB used in the fabrication method of the present invention and off-track performance; Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the change of read/write characteristics when portions other than the magnetic poles of a slider rail are machined uniformly by FIB; Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the write characteristics of a vertical head obtained by the present invention; Figs. 9A and 9B are perspective views showing the portions near a gap portion of the magnetic head of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the sensitivity distribution of an MR head in the direction of a track width; Figs. 11A and 11B are perspective views of a read/write composite head in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 12A and 12B are perspective views of a read/write composite head in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; Embodiment 1 This embodiment represents a fabrication method of a magnetic head in accordance with the present invention and the result of studies on read/write characteristics. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the pole portion of an induction type thin film head after machining by a focused ion beam etching process (hereinafter referred to as "FIE") when it is observed from an air bearing surface side. The material of a pole 102 is a permalloy having a saturation flux density of 1.0 T, and a gap layer 104 and a protective layer 103 are made of alumina. The material of a slider 101 is zirconia. The track width of the magnetic head before FIB machining is 10 µm and the pole thickness is 1.5 µm at an upper part and 1.0 µm at a lower part. Since zirconia used as the slider material of the head this time is a non-conductive material, the sample undergoes charge-up during FIB machining and a trench cannot be formed accurately. Therefore, a ultra-thin layer of Au is formed on the slider surface by evaporation before FIB machining. Incidentally, this Au evaporation layer can be removed by ordinary ion-milling or by polishing after FIB machining. On the other hand, evaporation becomes unnecessary when a system which irradiates an electron beam during FIB machining and neutralizes charge-up is utilized. Fig. 1 shows a sample having a track width of 1 µm at both upper and lower parts and a machining depth of 2.0 µm after FIB machining. The ion seed of the ion beam 100 used for machining is GaIn and an acceleration voltage and a beam current are set to 30 kV and 1.6 nA, respectively. The beam diameter at this time is 0.2 µm. Embodiment 2 A non-magnetic metallic material having a low specific resistivity such as Cu is packed into the trench portion formed by FIB machining and a flux leaking from portions other than from the track portion defined by machining can be reduced particularly in a high frequency range by utilizing an eddy current loss. This sample can be produced by a method consisting in FIB machining in a W(CO)₆ atmosphere to form a W layer in the region to which FIB is irradiated, and field plating by utilizing this conductive layer to form Cu. Besides this method, the sample can be produced by another method which uses Aℓ having high conductivity, or the like, as the ion seed and forms a Cu layer by field plating utilizing the ion injection layer which is formed at the trench portion of the sample by FIB machining. Here, the differences in the field distribution and field intensity between the thin film head having the Cu layer, which is a magnetic shield layer and is formed at the trench portion after FIB machining and a thin film head having the trench portion under the as-formed state are measured by an electron beam computerized tomography utilizing a Lorentz effect of an electron beam. Fig. 2 shows the result when the distribution of a longitudinal magnetic field Hx of the field distribution to be measured at 30 MHz in the track width direction is measured at the center position of the gap. The track width of the head after machining is set to 1 µm in each sample. It can be understood from this result that the leakage flux leaking from the regions other than from the track can be reduced drastically by forming Cu as the shield layer at the trench portion. The effect of this shield layer becomes greater with a higher frequency. Incidentally, the machining depth of the head used this time for the measurement is 2 µm but the leakage field of the heads not having the Cu layer formed thereon hardly changes even when the machining depth is made greater than the value described above. On the other hand, Fig. 3 shows the result when the frequency dependence of the maximum value of Hx is measured at the center position of the head magnetic pole, that is, the gap, and at the center position of the track. It can be understood from this diagram that the effect of the Cu shield layer becomes higher for the field intensity, too, with a higher frequency. Embodiment 3 Fig. 4 shows the result of comparison of off-track performance between a self read/write thin film head whose track width is not coincident between the upper pole and the lower pole and which is fabricated by the process of JP-A-59-178609, for example, and a thin film head obtained by subjecting this head to FIB machining so that the track width of the upper pole is coincident with the track width of the lower pole with 0.1 µm accuracy. The track width of the upper pole is 10 µm and the track width of the lower pole is 13.5 µm before FIB machining, and the track width is 10 ± 0.05 µm for both poles after FIB machining. In this experiment, too, the Cu layer is formed at the trench portion of the slider rail machined by FIB. A sputter material having a coercive force of 119 370 A/m (1,500 Oe) and a film thickness of 0.06 µm is used for the measurement and the spacing is 0.1 µm. The recording density is set to 1,976.10⁶ flux changes per meter (50 kFCI ( F lux C hange per I nch). It can be understood from the result shown in Fig. 4 that the effect of alignment of the track edge portions of the upper and lower poles becomes remarkable when the off-track distance exceeds the half of the track width, and is effective for narrowing a track pitch. In this case, no change is observed in the read output and overwrite performance before and after machining. Embodiment 4 Next, the change of the read output per unit track width is measured by reducing the track width from 10 µm to 0.25 µm under the state where the dimensional difference of the track width between the upper and lower poles is kept below 0.1 µm. The result is shown in Fig. 5. The measuring condition and the medium are the same as those used in Fig. 4. Here, the self read/write thin film head and the read/write head using an MR head for reading are used. The machining depth of FIB is set to 2.0 µm for both heads. It can be understood from the result shown in Fig. 5 that when the track width is below 3 µm in the self read/write head, a drop in the read output is observed and this output drops to the half of the original read output (the read output of the head having a 10 µm track width) at the track width of 1 µm. It has been confirmed by the observation with a Lorentz microscope of the recording track written by the head of each track width that even when the track width of the head is 0.25 µm, the medium is recorded uniformly in the track width-wise direction in response to the track width of the head. It is therefore believed that the cause of the drop of the read output when the track width is reduced below 3 µm results primarily from the drop of the read sensitivity of the head. In the read/write head using the MR head for reading, on the other hand, the drop of the read output is not observed even when the track width is reduced down to 1 µm and it is found that at least 80% of the original output is obtained even when the track width is reduced down to 0.25 µm. It has thus been confirmed that in the head having the track width of 3 µm or below, the read/write head having the separate write and read heads is effective. Embodiment 5 Next, Fig. 6 shows the result of the examination of the changes of the read output and off-track performance of the magnetic head which is machined by changing the incident angle of FIB. The track width after FIB machining is 3 µm and the machining depth is 2 µm. The medium used for the measurement of the read/write characteristics and the measuring condition are the same as those used in Fig. 4. The abscissa in Fig. 6 or in other words, the incident angle ϑ of the ion beam, represents the deviation from a direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface of the head, and is set so that when the right-hand and left-hand portions of the track are machined, the incident angles are symmetric with respect to the track center, respectively. Here, an off-track performance index OFP is used as an index for evaluating off-track performance. This OFP is defined as follows: OFP = x/(Tw/2) Here, symbol X represents the off-track distance when the read output drops by 6 dB from the initial value when the head is tracked off and Tw is the track width of the head after FIB machining. It can be understood from this diagram that off-track performance gets deteriorated when the incident angle is 10° or more, whereas the read output drops at 0° or below and gets unstable at 20° or more. It can be understood from this result that the incident angle of the beam is set preferably from 0° to about 10°. In this embodiment the shape of the head is set to an arbitrary shape by changing the incident angle of FIB, but machining of the head having an inclination at the track edge portion becomes possible by changing two-dimensionally the irradiation quantity or devising a peculiar polarization method even when the incident angle is 0°. Embodiment 6 Fig. 7 shows the result of the examination as to which extent the read/write characteristics change when the portions other than the pole portion of the head slider rail are cut off uniformly by FIB after completion of a polish work. In the polishing process of the air bearing surface of an ordinary thin film head, a machining step of about 20 to about 30 nm is defined between the slider rail and the magnetic film of the pole. This machining step is eliminated by cutting off the slider rail. Since the surface property of the slider rail changes hardly by FIB machining, it has been confirmed that floating characteristics of the slider does not at all change before and after this machining. The medium and measuring condition used for the read/write characteristics are the same as those described already. As a result of this FIB machining, it has been confirmed that the read output can be improved by about 16% at a recording density of 50 kFCI by cutting off uniformly the portions other than the pole portion of the slider rail by about 30 nm. Embodiment 7 An ordinary thin film head for in-plane recording can be modified to a single pole vertical head by utilizing FIB machining; hence, this embodiment represents an example of such a modification. This machining cuts off only the upper pole of an ordinary thin film head for in-plane recording to a certain extent. Fig. 8 shows the result of the examination of the vertical recording characteristics of the pseudo-single pole vertical head obtained by this machining. The coil used hereby is buried in an alumina layer. The medium used for measurement is a two-layered film medium of CoCr and permalloy and the spacing is set to 0.05 µm. Incidentally, a separate vertical head is used for reading from the relation of the pole thickness. It has been confirmed from this result that the recording density characteristics can be improved because the recording mode changes from the in-plane mode to the vertical mode when the machining depth of the upper pole is increased. Here, a single pole head that can be used for both reading and writing can be fabricated by use of a photoresist pattern for an ordinary thin film head for in-plane recording by optimizing the thickness of the upper and lower poles, respectively. In this manner the head for in-plane recording can be converted to a head for vertical recording by utilizing FIB machining. Embodiment 8 Another embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figs. 9A and 9B. Fig. 9A is a perspective view of a read/write head when viewed from the floating surface side and Fig. 9B is a sectional view taken along line A - A' in Fig. 9A. As can be seen from these drawings, the head in accordance with this embodiment is provided with a write head 11 at the back of a read MR head 10. The pole 12 on one of the sides of this write head serves also as one of the shield layers 2 of the MR head. The structure of the MR head is as follows. A magnetoresistive sensor 3 and an electrode 4 for causing a current to flow are disposed between two soft magnetic members 1, 2 that serve as the magnetic shield layer. First of all, a permalloy pattern which is 2 µm thick and is a first shield layer 1 is formed on an alumina titanium carbide substrate 5 on which an insulation layer made of alumina is laminated. The shape of this first shield layer 1 is rectangular. Next, an MR sensor 3 is formed through the insulation layer. This insulation layer uses alumina. This embodiment uses a shunt bias method as a method of application of a bias magnetic field which is necessary for operating the MR sensor. Therefore, a 0.1 µm-thick titanium film is laminated continuously as a shunt film on a 40 nm-thick permalloy film and then the rectangular MR sensor pattern is formed by photo-etching. Thereafter, a 0.2 µm-thick copper electrode 4 is formed on both sides except for the portion which will serve as a magnetic sensitive region. Next, a second shield pattern 2 is formed through an insulation layer. This shield pattern serves also as a first write pole 12. A Co system amorphous soft magnetic film having a greater saturation flux density than permalloy is used in order to obtain a greater write field. The film thickness is 2.5 µm. Alumina having a film thickness of 1 µm is used for a gap layer 13. A coil 14 has five turns of copper having a film thickness of 3 µm. An etching 17 is then applied onto a slope portion on the floating surface side of a planarization layer through an insulation layer 16. Subsequently, a second write pole 15 is formed by use of a Co system amorphous soft magnetic film having a film thickness of 2 µm in the same way as the first pole and then a protective film is laminated. The substrate is thereafter cut and polishing of the floating surface is conducted. Part of the floating surface other than the portion which will become a magnetosensitive region is removed during the polishing step by photo-etching technique which is employed ordinarily. First of all, an about 3 µm-thick photoresist is coated on the floating surface and a desired resist pattern is obtained by effecting exposure. Recesses 7 and 8 are formed by use of this resist pattern as a mask by ion milling which uses an Ar gas, in such a manner as to project the magnetosensitive region 9. Both of the MR head and write head portions are shaped so that the width of the projecting portion 9 is 3 µm and they are positioned on the same track. In order to obtain a head having high read efficiency in the process described above, it is preferred to project only the MR sensor portion which is not short-circuited by the electrode. To accomplish this object, the electrode pattern and the pattern for forming the projecting portion must be registered with a high level of accuracy at the time of exposure and a narrow pattern is preferably disposed in the electrode layer so that a registration marker is exposed on the floating surface. Furthermore, the width of the portion at which the electrode is not disposed, or in other words, the gap between the electrodes, is preferably greater than the width of projection in order to secure a registration margin. In this embodiment the gap between the electrodes is 4 µm and the width of the projecting portion is 3 µm. The embodiment described above uses the photoresist as the mask for ion milling but can also use a metal mask or a carbon mask by use of a multi-layered resist method and a selective etching method. Fig. 10 shows the sensitivity distribution (solid line in the drawing) of the head described in this embodiment in the track width direction in comparison with the sensitivity distribution (dash line) of the head not having the projecting portion defining the track width between the electrodes at both ends in accordance with the prior art structure. The drop of the sensitivity of the head at the track edge is sharper in the head of the embodiment of the invention and this represents that influences from adjacent tracks are smaller. As described above, the projecting portions of both the write and read heads can be formed simultaneously and accurately by carrying out etching from the floating surface, so that a position error does not occur between the read and write heads and a read operation can be made efficiently. Though the embodiment described above uses the Co system amorphous material as the pole material, other high saturation flux density materials such as Fe system crystalline materials can be used, too. Though the width of the write head in the track width direction before the recesses are formed is equal to the width of the shield layer of the MR head, the former may be different from the latter so long as it is greater than the width of the projecting portion. Embodiment 9 Still another embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to Figs. 11A and 11B. This embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment and has a write head at the back of the MR head. However, the width of the projecting portion of the write head is 4 µm, the width of the projecting portion of the MR head is 3 µm and the width of the read head is made smaller. If there is any positioning error of the heads, the influences of noise from the adjacent tracks becomes smaller when the read operation is made from a track having a smaller track width than the width of the written track, as is well known in the art. The track width can be changed easily by changing the projecting width of the read/write heads by carrying out etching from the floating surface as is made in this embodiment. Accordingly, a magnetic head having suitable read/write track width can be fabricated easily. All the foregoing embodiments use the shunt bias method as the method of application of the bias field to the MR head but the present invention is not particularly limited thereto and can employ heretofore known permanent magnet bias, soft-film bias, exchange coupled film bias using a ferro-dimagnetic film, and so forth. Embodiment 10 Still another embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figs. 12A and 12B. In this embodiment the MR sensor 3 is disposed between the poles 16 and 17 of the write head. The pole serves also as the shield film of the MR head. In the drawings, the pole uses a Co system amorphous magnetic film having a high saturation flux density and the film thickness is 2 µm. The bias field is applied to the MR sensor by causing a D.C. current to flow through the write coil. For this reason, the MR sensor is not provided with the shunt film but comprises only the permalloy and the electrodes. The bias field can be applied more easily if the MR sensor is disposed at a position deviated from the center between the poles and in this embodiment, the ratio of distance between the poles and the sensor is set to 1:2. The rest of the structure of the head and the machining method of the projecting portion of the floating surface are the same as those described in the foregoing embodiments. According to this embodiment, the MR sensor is disposed between the write poles and the write poles serve also as the shield layer. Therefore, the width of the write pole shield layer coincides with the width of the projecting portion of the MR sensor and there can thus be obtained a magnetic head free from the positioning error between the read and write tracks. The embodiments Nos. 8, 9 and 10 represent the structure in which part of the write pole serves also as the shield layer of the MR head but the present invention can also be used for a write/read head in which the write poles and the shield layers are separated completely. As described above, the present invention can provide a magnetic head having a simple structure which improve noise characteristics resulting frcm adjacent tracks. Furthermore, the present invention makes it possible to position the write head and the read head with a high level of accuracy. Since even a head having a track width of 1 µm or below can be fabricated at a high yield, the present invention is particularly effective for a head for a magnetic disc apparatus which has a large memory capacity and for which high speed transfer of data is necessary. Since the present invention can provide a thin film magnetic head having a large read output and a high write density, the invention can improve performance of a magnetic memory device.

Claims: A magnetic head for reading/writing magnetic information from/onto a magnetic recording medium, said magnetic head having an air bearing surface (101) and at least a pair of grooves (7, 8) formed in a part of the air bearing surface (5), wherein the track width of the head magnetic poles (12, 15) is defined by the distance between the pair of grooves (7, 8), characterized in that an electrically conductive layer is formed in a part inside of the grooves. A magnetic head according to claim 1, characterized in that said magnetic head is a self read/write induction type thin film head and includes upper and lower magnetic poles (12, 15) laminated through an electromagnetic insulation layer (16) and forming a magnetic path, and a conductive coil (14) disposed inside said insulation layer (16) and inputting and outputting signals, and the difference of the track width between said upper and lower magnetic poles is below 0.1 µm. A magnetic head according to claim 1, characterized in that said magnetic head is a read/write thin film head and includes upper and lower magnetic poles (12, 15) laminated through an electromagnetic insulation layer (16) and forming a magnetic path, a conductive coil (14) disposed inside said insulating layer (16) and inputting signals and a read head (10) having a magnetoresistive film (3) having electrodes (4) for power supply, and the track width of said read head is smaller by at least 0.1 µm than the track width of said upper and lower magnetic poles. A magnetic head according to claim 1, characterized in that said magnetic head is a read/write thin film head and includes upper and lower magnetic poles (12, 15) laminated through an electromagnetic insulation layer (16) and forming a magnetic path, a conductive coil (14) disposed inside said insulation layer (16) and inputting signals and a read head (10) having a magnetoresistive film (3) having electrodes (4) for power supply. A magnetic head according to claim 1, characterized in that the width of a projecting portion (9) disposed on said air bearing surface is defined by a pair of grooves (7, 8) disposed at part of said air bearing surface, and part or entire portion of said grooves is filled by a non-magnetic material having small specific resistivity. A magnetic head according to claim 1, characterized in that the entire surface of said air bearing surface other than the magnetic pole portion (12) of a slider rail is planed uniformly. A magnetic head according to claim 1, characterized in that the entire surface of said air bearing surface other than the magnetic pole portion (102) of a slider rail is planed uniformly by 20 - 30 nm. A magnetic head according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a composite magnetic head comprising a magnetoresistive head (3) including a soft magnetic thin film having a magnetoresistive effect and soft magnetic members interposing said soft magnetic film through a non-magnetic insulation layer, an induction type head (11) including magnetic poles (16, 17) formed in a moving direction of a medium in the proximity of said magnetoresistive head and a conductor crossing said magnetic poles and a substrate (5) for supporting both of said heads, write and read operations into and from said medium being effected by the portion interposed between said grooves (7, 8). A magnetic head according to claim 8, characterized in that the width of the floating surface interposed between said grooves (7, 8) in a direction vertical to the moving direction of said medium is different between said write head portion (11) and said read head portion (3) and is smaller in said read head portion. A magnetic head according to claim 8, characterized in that part or the whole of said soft magnetic film constituting said magnetoresistive head (3) functions also as the magnetic poles of said write head (11). A magnetic head according to claim 8, characterized in that a layer made of Ti, Cr, C or their compound is disposed at part of the portion between a non-magnetic insulation layer (16) constituting said write head (11) and an upper electrode (12). A fabrication method for a magnetic head for effecting at least one of the write and read operations of data into and from a magnetic recording medium, wherein at least a pair of grooves is formed by focused ion beam etching in a part of the surface opposing said medium, wherein the track width is defined by the distance between the pair of grooves, characterized in that an electrically conductive layer is formed in said grooves (7, 8). A method according to claim 12, characterized in that said magnetic head includes a slider (101) for floating hydrodynamically said magnetic head on said recording medium and upper and lower magnetic poles (12, 15) laminated through an electromagnetic insulation layer (16) disposed on said slider, and forming a magnetic path, and focused ion beam etching is carried out after depositing a conductive thin film on said slider portion. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that said magnetic head includes a slider (101) for floating hydrodynamically said magnetic head on said recording medium and upper and lower magnetic poles (12, 15) laminated through an electromagnetic insulation layer (16) disposed on said slider, and forming a magnetic path, and focused ion beam etching is carried out by irradiating an electron beam to said slider portion. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that focused ion beam etching is carried out in an atmosphere containing an electrically conductive element so as to form a layer of said conductive element at the portion to which the focused ion beam is irradiated, and a metal is packed into said grooves (7, 8) by applying field plating to the portion of the layer of said element. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that focused ion beam etching is carried out in an atmosphere containing an electrically conductive element so as to form an injection layer of said conductive element at the portion to which the focused ion beam is irradiated, and a metal is packed into said grooves (7, 8) by applying field plating to said injection layer of said element. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that said magnetic head includes a slider (101) for floating hydrodynamically said magnetic head on said recording medium and upper and lower magnetic poles (12, 15) laminated through an electromagnetic insulation layer (16) disposed on said slider and forming a magnetic path, and after the surface of said slider opposing said recording medium is polished, the opposed surface other than said magnetic pole portions is planed uniformly by focused ion beam etching. A method according to claim 12, characterized in comprising the following steps prior to forming said grooves (7, 8): (1) forming on a substrate (5) a magnetoresistive read head (10) including a soft magnetic thin film (3) having a magnetoresistive effect and soft magnetic members (1, 2) on both sides of said soft magnetic thin film with an insulation layer between them constituting said magnetic head, and laminating an induction type write head (11) including magnetic poles and a conductor pattern crossing them on said head; and (2) cutting said substrate having both of said heads mounted thereon into a desired shape and exposing the constituent members of both of said heads on a section of the substrate.

Inventors: ISHIKAWA CHIAKI, ISHITANI TOHRU, KOBAYASHI TOSHIO, KOYAMA NAOKI, MORIWAKI EIJIN, OHNISHI TSUYOSHI, SHIIKI KAZUO, TAKANO HISASHI, TANABE HIDEO, TODOKORO HIDEO, YUITO ISAMU, ISHIKAWA, CHIAKI, ISHITANI, TOHRU, KOBAYASHI, TOSHIO, KOYAMA, NAOKI, MORIWAKI, EIJIN, OHNISHI, TSUYOSHI, SHIIKI, KAZUO, TAKANO, HISASHI, TANABE, HIDEO, TODOKORO, HIDEO, YUITO, ISAMU, ISHIKAWA, CHIAKI, (NEE SAKA)
Applicants: HITACHI LTD, HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: G11B5
IPC codes: G11B5