Abstract:
A contact magnetic transfer (CMT) master template has a flexible plastic film with a planarized top or upper surface containing magnetic islands separated from one another by nonmagnetic regions. The flexible plastic film is secured at its perimeter to a silicon annulus that provides rigid support at the perimeter of the film. The plastic film is preferably polyimide that has recesses filled with the magnetic material that form the pattern of magnetic islands. The upper surfaces of the islands and the upper surfaces of the nonmagnetic regions form a continuous planar surface. The nonmagnetic regions are formed of chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) stop layer material that remains after a CMP process has planarized the upper surface of the plastic film.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is related to concurrently filed application Ser, No., 11/044,288 titled “METHOD FOR MAKING A CONTACT MAGNETIC TRANSFER, /TEMPLATE”, which has issued as U.S. Pat No. 7,160,477 B2. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a master template for contact magnetic transfer of magnetic patterns and to a method for making the template. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Contact magnetic duplication or transfer (CMT), sometimes referred to as magnetic printing, is a method of instantaneous recording of magnetic patterns onto magnetic media. In a magnetic recording hard disk drive, each disk contains a fixed, pre-recorded servo pattern of magnetized servo regions or blocks that are used to position the recording head to the desired data track. In the CMT method for forming the servo pattern a “master” disk or template is used that contains regions or islands of soft (low-coercivity) magnetic material in a pattern corresponding to the servo pattern that is to be transferred to the magnetic recording disk (the “slave” disk). 
     The CMT master template is typically a rigid substrate or a rigid substrate with a plastic film formed on it. These types of master templates have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,347,016 B1 and 6,433,944 B1; Japanese published application JP2002-342921; and by Ishida, T. et al., “Magnetic Printing Technology-Application to HDD”,  IEEE Transactions on Magnetics , Vol 39, No. 2, March 2003, pp 628-632. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,590 B2, assigned to the same assignee as this application, a CMT method is described that uses a flexible master template and a differential gas pressure to press the pattern of magnetic islands against the slave disk. The pattern of magnetic islands is formed on the template by electroplating or evaporation of the magnetic material through a resist pattern, followed by liftoff of the resist. However, this process can result in variations in the surfaces of the magnetic islands and irregularities in the shape of the magnetic islands. 
     What is needed is an improved CMT master template and method for making it. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a CMT master template that has a flexible plastic film with a planarized top or upper surface containing magnetic islands separated from one another by nonmagnetic regions. The flexible plastic film is secured at its perimeter to a silicon annulus that provides rigid support at the perimeter of the film. The plastic film is preferably polyimide that has recesses filled with the magnetic material that form the pattern of magnetic islands. The upper surfaces of the islands and the upper surfaces of the nonmagnetic regions form a continuous planar surface. 
     The template is made by first adhering the plastic film to a first surface of a silicon wafer, such as by spin-coating liquid polyimide followed by curing. A resist pattern is then formed on the polyimide film and the polyimide is reactive-ion-etched through the resist to form recesses. The resist is removed and a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) stop layer is deposited over the non-recessed regions of the polyimide, and optionally into the bottoms of the recesses. A layer of magnetic material is then deposited over the polyimide film to fill the recesses. A CMP process is then performed to remove magnetic material above the recesses and above the non-recessed regions and continued until the CMP stop layer is reached. The resulting upper surface of the polyimide film is then a continuous planar film of magnetic islands and regions of CMP stop layer material that function as the nonmagnetic regions. The central portion of the silicon beneath the polyimide film is then removed to leave just the annular silicon portion supporting the polyimide film at its perimeter. The preferred removal process for the silicon is to wet etch the silicon wafer from its second surface. A barrier layer may be deposited on the first surface of the silicon wafer prior to the polyimide film. When the central portion of the silicon wafer is removed by wet etching from its second surface the wet etching is terminated when the barrier layer is reached so that the polyimide film is not attacked by the etchant. If the silicon substrate is removed in this manner, then the resulting master template has the barrier layer remaining on its bottom or lower surface. 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A-1B  are a plan view and a partial sectional view, respectively, of a hard magnetic recording disk illustrating a pattern of servo sectors extending generally radially across an annular data band. 
         FIG. 2  is an expanded view of one of the servo sectors of  FIG. 1A  showing the magnetized servo regions or blocks. 
         FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of the CMT apparatus used with the CMT master template made according to the method of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 4A-4K  are sectional views showing the steps in a first embodiment of the method for making the CMT master template of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5B ,  5 C,  5 D,  5 G and  5 H are sectional views showing the steps in a second embodiment of the method for making the CMT master template for comparison with corresponding  FIGS. 4B ,  4 C,  4 D,  4 G and  4 H. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A typical example of a rigid magnetic recording disk with a servo pattern formed by contact magnetic transfer (CMT) is shown in the plan view  FIG. 1A  and the sectional view  FIG. 1B . The magnetic recording disk  10  comprises a rigid substrate  11 , a thin film metal alloy (e.g., CoPtCrB) magnetic recording layer  13  on the substrate and an outer layer  15  (e.g., a protective amorphous carbon overcoat, which typically has a lubricant, such as perfluoropolyether (PFPE), on its surface). The disk  10  has an annular data portion or band  12  which is defined by an inside diameter (ID)  14  and an outside diameter (OD)  16 . The sectional view of  FIG. 1B  is taken along the track or circumferential direction and shows substrate  11 , recording layer  13  with typical magnetized portions  48 ,  34 ,  38  making up part of the servo pattern, and outer layer  15 . During operation of the disk drive, the head reads or writes data on a selected one of a number of concentric data tracks located between the ID  14  and OD  16  of the annular data band  12 . To accurately read or write data from a selected track, the head is required to be maintained over the centerline of the track. Accordingly, each time one of the servo sectors, such as typical sector  18 , passes beneath the head, the disk drive&#39;s head positioning control system receives servo information from the servo blocks contained within the servo sector. The information contained in the servo blocks generates a position error signal which is used by the head positioning control system to move the head towards the track centerline. Thus, during a complete rotation of the disk  10 , the head is continually maintained over the track centerline by servo information from the servo blocks in successive servo sectors. 
     An expanded top view of a typical servo sector  18  and portions of three data tracks is shown in  FIG. 2 . The three data tracks  20 ,  22 ,  24  are shown in outline. All of the shaded portions of  FIG. 2  represent magnetized regions of the recording layer  13  that have been patterned by a CMT process. The “N” and “S” indicate the poles for each magnetized region. The non-shaded portions on  FIG. 2  represent the regions of recording layer  13  that retain their magnetization from a DC magnetization process prior to the CMT process. A portion of the servo sector  18  is a servo field  30  that includes spaced-apart servo blocks, such as typical servo blocks  32 ,  34  and  36 ,  38 . Also included in servo sector  18  is a field  40  of radial stripes  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  that are used to provide synchronization and gain control for the subsequently read servo signals from servo blocks  32 ,  34  and  36 ,  38 . Additional information, e.g., timing marks indicating the beginning of a servo sector and/or a coded pattern for identifying the specific servo track by track number, may also be included in servo sector  18 . The servo blocks  32 ,  34  and  36 ,  38  in servo field  30  and the radial stripes  42 - 48  in the synchronization/gain field  40  are DC magnetized in the track or circumferential direction of the disk, as indicated by the designations “N” and S” in  FIG. 2 . 
     The CMT master template made according to the method of the present invention is shown as it would be used in the CMT apparatus of  FIG. 3 , which is the CMT apparatus also described in the previously-cited co-pending application. A chamber  200  has an upper opening  202  with an outer periphery  204 . The opening  202  is covered by the CMT master template. The CMT master template comprises a flexible plastic film  106  supported at its outer perimeter by a rigid substrate  100 . The plastic film  106  has a pattern of magnetic islands  114  corresponding to the pattern to be transferred to the slave disk. The chamber opening  202  is sealed by clamp  206  and O-ring  208 . The interior of chamber  200  has an inlet  209  connected to pressure regulator  210  which is connected to a pressurized nitrogen source. A rotation stage  220  is located inside chamber  200  and supports a platform  222  that rotates about an axis  224 . A permanent magnet  230  and a counterweight  240  for magnet  230  are mounted off-axis on the platform  222 . The stage  220  is also movable in the vertical Z-direction parallel to the axis  224  so that magnet  230  can be positioned at the desired distance from plastic film  106 . The recording disk  10  to be patterned (the slave disk) is mounted on a gripper arm  250  that is movable in the X-Y-Z directions above the plastic film  106 . The movement of the gripper arm  250  and stage  220  is controlled by a motion controller, typically a PC. The chamber  200  is pressurized to move the plastic film  106  with its pattern of magnetic islands  114  into contact with the slave disk  10 . As the stage  220  rotates, the magnetic field from magnet  230  creates a magnetized pattern in slave disk  10  that replicates the pattern of magnetic islands  114  on the plastic film  106  of the CMT master template. 
     A first method for making the CMT master template will be described with  FIGS. 4A-4K , which are sectional views not to scale so that the features of the template can be seen. In  FIG. 4A  a rigid support structure or substrate  100  has a plastic film  106  adhered to it. The substrate  100  is preferably semiconductor-grade single-crystal silicon with a first or top surface  101  that supports the plastic film  106  and a second or bottom surface  103 . The silicon substrate can be any commercially available Si wafer, such as a 5 in. Si wafer 550 μm thick. The plastic film  106  is preferably polyimide having a thickness in the range of approximately 5 to 25 μm. It can be adhered directly to the silicon surface  101  by applying a liquid polyimide, such as by spin-coating, followed by curing. Some of the liquid polyimide types used are Hitachi-DuPont Microsystems  2610 ,  2611  and  5811 . The plastic film  106  can also be adhered to the silicon surface  101  in sheet form with a suitable adhesive. Commercially available plastic sheets can be polyethylene terephthalate (PET), naphthalate (PEN) or polyimide, such as Melinex 453, Melinex 725, Melinex 561, Mylar D1, and Kadanex 1000, all available from DuPont. Also shown in  FIG. 4A  is an optional barrier layer  104 . Barrier layer  104  is applied to the silicon surface  101  before the plastic film  106  if the silicon substrate  100  is intended to be later removed by a wet etching process that might attack the plastic film  106 . If the plastic film  106  is polyimide, then the optional barrier layer  104  can be a material such as chromium (Cr) or gold (Au) that is sputter deposited or evaporated to a thickness in the range of approximately 10 to 30 nm on the silicon substrate surface  101 . 
     In  FIG. 4B  an optional etch-protect layer  108  is deposited on top of the plastic film  106 . Etch-protect layer  108  improves the surface smoothness of the plastic film  106  that is not intended to be etched. The preferred material for etch-protect layer  108  is germanium (Ge) sputter deposited or evaporated to a thickness in the range of approximately 10-20 nm. Other materials for etch-protect layer  108  are chromium (Cr), tantalum (Ta) and tungsten (W). 
     In  FIG. 4C  a pattern of resist  110  has been formed on the plastic film  106  or on the etch-protect layer  108  if it is used. The resist may be an electron-beam (e-beam) resist such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) that is applied by spin-coating and then cured. The e-beam resist film is then exposed to the e-beam in an e-beam lithography tool in the pattern desired for the CMT master template. The resist is then developed and removed, leaving the pattern of resist  110 . 
     In  FIG. 4D  the plastic film  106  is etched through the pattern of resist  110  to form recesses in the plastic film  106 . If a Ge etch-protect layer  108  is used then the Ge is etched by reactive-ion-etching (RIE) in a CHF 3  gas to remove the Ge layer. This is followed by RIE of the plastic film  106  in an oxygen/argon (O 2 /Ar) atmosphere. The RIE continues until approximately 50 nm of the plastic film  106  has been removed. Because the O 2  also attacks the resist, the surface of the plastic film  106  in the non-recessed regions beneath the resist  110  may become roughened by the RIE if the etch-protect layer  108  was not present between the non-recessed plastic film  106  regions and the resist  110 . Thus the optional etch-protect layer  108  improves the surface smoothness of the plastic film  106  in the non-recessed regions. 
     In  FIG. 4E , the resist  110  and etch-protect layer  108  have been removed. The resist is removed by conventional solvents such as acetone or N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP). If the etch-protect layer  108  is Ge it is removed by application of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), such as by dipping into the H 2 O 2  for approximately 10 to 15 seconds. 
     In  FIG. 4F , a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) stop layer  112  is deposited over the entire plastic film  106 . The CMP stop layer  112  is a material substantially resistant to the CMP process so that the CMP process that removes material above the CMP stop layer essentially ends when the stop layer is reached. In this first embodiment of the method, the CMP stop layer  112  is deposited not only over the non-recessed regions of the plastic film  106 , but also into the recesses in the plastic film  106 . The preferred materials for CMP stop layer  112  are diamond-like carbon (DLC) formed by ion-beam-deposition (IBD) to a thickness in the range of approximately 10 to 50 nm and tantalum (Ta) sputter deposited to a thickness in the range of approximately 20 to 100 nm. Other known CMP stop layer materials include one or more nitrides of Ta (TaNx) and titanium (TiNx), as well as Cr and NiCr alloy. 
     In  FIG. 4G , the magnetic material layer  114  is deposited over the CMP stop layer  112  to fill the recesses in the plastic film  106 . The magnetic material is any soft (relatively low coercivity) magnetic material, such as NiFe(30/70) or NiFe(55/45) or NiFe(80/20) or NiFeCo(35/12/53) or FeCo(62/38) or other alloys of Ni, Fe and/or Co. The magnetic material layer  114  can be deposited by evaporation or electroplating or other known processes, but the preferred process is by IBD. The magnetic material layer  114  is deposited to a thickness in the range of approximately 100 to 300 nm. 
     Next the CMP is performed until the CMP stop layer  112  in the non-recessed regions of the plastic film  106  is reached. This removes the magnetic material above the CMP stop layer  112  in the non-recessed regions and a portion of the magnetic material above the recessed regions, but leaves the magnetic material in the recesses of the plastic film  106 . The CMP process can use any slurry known to remove the magnetic material. The preferred CMP slurry for a NiFe magnetic material is a KOH or NH 4 OH based slurry with colloidal silica particles with an average particle size of between approximately 20 and 200 nm, such as a Klebosol® slurry product manufactured by Clariant. As shown in  FIG. 4H , after the CMP process, the surface above the plastic film  106  has been planarized and includes the magnetic islands  114  separated by nonmagnetic regions of the CMP stop layer  112 . 
     A second embodiment of the method is shown in  FIGS. 5B ,  5 C,  5 D,  5 G and  5 H for comparison with corresponding  FIGS. 4B ,  4 C,  4 D,  4 G and  4 H of the first embodiment of the process. The primary difference is that in the second embodiment the CMP stop layer  112  is deposited on the plastic film  106  before the Ge etch-protect layer  108 , as shown in  FIG. 5B . The formation of the pattern of resist  110  ( FIG. 5C ) is the same as in  FIG. 4C . The RIE ( FIG. 5D ) is the same as in  FIG. 4D , except that following the RIE there is no CMP stop layer located in the bottom of the recesses or the walls of the recesses. After removal of the resist  110  and the Ge etch-protect layer  108  the magnetic material layer  114  is deposited into the recesses and is now in direct contact with the plastic film  106  ( FIG. 5G ), instead of in contact with the CMP stop layer  112  ( FIG. 4G ). After CMP the magnetic islands and CMP stop layer regions are planarized with only magnetic material being located in the recesses ( FIG. 5H ), unlike in  FIG. 4H  where CMP stop layer material is located in the recesses as well as in the side walls of the recesses. The absence of CMP stop layer material in the recesses and side walls enables the magnetic islands to be more precisely dimensioned. 
     In both embodiments of the method, after planarization by CMP, a thin protective film  118  is deposited, as shown in  FIG. 4I . The protective film  118  may be a sputter deposited carbon film approximately 2 to 5 nm thick. Other materials for protective film  118  include SiNx (silicon nitride). In addition to or in place of the protective film  118 , a plasma-polymerized 4 nm thick perfluorocarbon (PFC) overcoat can be applied. The protective film  118  and PFC overcoat improve the durability and reduce water contamination of the master template. 
     After deposition of the protective film  118  and/or PFC overcoat, the upper surface of the CMT master template is complete. The remaining step is to remove the plastic film  106  from the surface  101  of the silicon substrate  100 . If the plastic film  106  is a plastic sheet adhered to the silicon by an adhesive it is removed by simply peeling it off. However, if a liquid was applied to the silicon and then cured to form the plastic film  106 , such as the polyimide film, then the preferred method to remove it is to wet etch the silicon from the back surface  103 . As shown in  FIG. 4J , in this method the silicon substrate  100  is placed in a cylindrical fixture  130  that has a wall  132 . The second or bottom surface  103  of silicon substrate  100  and the wall  132  form a sealed container for the wet etchant, with the seal provided by an O-ring  134 . The wet etchant  140  is placed into the container  130  and removes the silicon from the back surface  103 . The wet etching continues until all of the silicon has been removed in the area exposed to the etchant. One type of wet etchant for silicon is a mixture of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and nitric acid (HNO 3 ). If the optional barrier layer  104  has been formed between the first surface  101  and the plastic film  106  then the barrier layer  104  is resistant to the wet etchant so that the etching stops when the barrier layer  104  has been reached. If the etchant is the solution of HF and HNO 3 , the preferred barrier layer  104  is a Cr film approximately 200 to 500 nm thick. 
     After removal of the plastic film  106 , the CMT master template is as shown in  FIG. 4K , and comprises the flexible plastic film  106  attached at its outer perimeter to a rigid annular support  100  with its top surface being the planarized magnetic islands  114  and stop layer regions  112  and its bottom surface being the barrier layer  104 . 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the disclosed invention is to be considered merely as illustrative and limited in scope only as specified in the appended claims.