Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7168156?dq=7350717
Timestamp: 2015-07-31 01:52:58
Document Index: 796653578

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Patent US7168156 - Method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA thin-film magnetic head comprises first and second magnetic pole groups, magnetically connected to each other, having respective magnetic pole parts opposing each other on a side of a medium-opposing surface; a recording gap layer formed between the magnetic pole parts; and a thin-film coil insulated...http://www.google.com/patents/US7168156?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7168156 - Method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic headAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7168156 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/512,088Publication dateJan 30, 2007Filing dateAug 30, 2006Priority dateSep 29, 2003Fee statusLapsedAlso published asUS20060288564Publication number11512088, 512088, US 7168156 B2, US 7168156B2, US-B2-7168156, US7168156 B2, US7168156B2InventorsYoshitaka Sasaki, Takehiro KamigamaOriginal AssigneeHeadway Technologies, Inc., Sae Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (19), Referenced by (4), Classifications (31), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head
US 7168156 B2Abstract
1. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head by laminating on a substrate first and second magnetic pole groups, magnetically connected to each other, having respective magnetic pole parts opposing each other on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium; a recording gap layer formed between the magnetic pole parts; and a thin-film coil insulated from the first and second magnetic pole groups and helically wound about at least one of the first and second magnetic pole groups; the method comprising the steps of:
forming a plurality of first inner conductor parts and a lower connecting layer both in contact by way of an insulating film with a first magnetic pole layer disposed on the substrate, and a second magnetic pole layer disposed at a position defining a yoke length;
forming an inner groove covered with a separation insulating film between the second magnetic pole layer and the first inner conductor parts adjacent each other;
forming a second inner conductor part within each inner groove, and constructing a first conductor group by the first and second inner conductor parts;
forming the first magnetic pole group by laminating a third magnetic pole layer on the second magnetic pole layer;
forming the second magnetic pole group on the first magnetic pole group so as to provide the recording gap layer;
forming a plurality of first outer conductor parts in contact with the second magnetic pole group by way of an insulating film, and an insulating part disposed at a position defining the yoke length;
forming an outer groove covered with a separation insulating film between the insulating part and the first outer conductor parts adjacent each other;
forming a second outer conductor part within each outer groove, and constructing a second conductor group by the first and second outer conductor parts; and
forming a connecting part group by placing an upper connecting layer onto the lower connecting layer, and constructing the thin-film coil by the connecting part group and the first and second conductor groups.
2. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second inner conductor parts and the first and second outer conductor parts is formed by plating.
3. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein each of the second inner and outer conductor parts is constructed by forming an electrode film by sputtering and then disposing an electrically conductive layer by plating thereon.
4. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the separation insulating film is formed by laminating a plurality of alumina films.
5. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head by laminating on a substrate first and second magnetic pole groups, magnetically connected to each other, having respective magnetic pole parts opposing each other on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium; a recording gap layer formed between the magnetic pole parts; and a thin-film coil insulated from the first and second magnetic pole groups and helically wound about at least one of the first and second magnetic pole groups; the method comprising the steps of:
forming a plurality of first outer conductor parts in contact with the second magnetic pole group by way of an insulating film;
providing a surface of each first outer conductor part with a separation insulating film for each outer conductor part, and forming an outer groove covered with the separation insulating film between the first outer conductor parts adjacent each other;
forming an electrically conductive layer in an area for arranging the thin-film coil so as to fill the outer groove;
forming a second outer conductor part in contact by way of the separation insulating film with each first outer conductor part by the electrically conductive layer, and constructing a second conductor group by the first and second outer conductor parts; and
6. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 5, wherein each of the second inner and outer conductor parts is constructed by forming an electrode film by sputtering and then disposing an electrically conductive layer by plating thereon.
7. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 5, wherein the separation insulating film is formed by laminating a plurality of alumina films.
This is a Divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/671,440 filed on Sep. 29, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,119,987 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
As the track width decreases, it becomes harder for a recording head to generate a magnetic flux having a high density between two opposing magnetic pole parts. Therefore, it has been desired to use a magnetic material having a high saturated magnetic flux density as a material for the magnetic pole parts. When the frequency of a recording signal rises as the recording density improves, on the other hand, the recording head is required to improve the rate at which the magnetic flux changes, i.e., shorten the flux rise time. It is also desirable for the recording head to lower the deterioration in recording characteristics such as overwrite characteristic and non-linear transition shift in a high-frequency band.
Preferably, the connecting parts are disposed at respective positions distanced from the medium-opposing surface differently from each other. In this case, the connecting parts are shifted from each other in a direction along the air bearing surface.
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the lower magnetic pole 10 comprises a first magnetic pole part 10 a, a second magnetic pole part 10 b, a third magnetic pole part 10 c, a fourth magnetic pole part 10 d, a fifth magnetic pole part 10 e, a sixth magnetic pole part 10 f, and a seventh magnetic pole part 10 g. The first magnetic pole part 10 a is disposed at a position opposing the first conductor group 116 in the thin-film coil 110. In the vicinity of the air bearing surface 30, the second magnetic pole part 10 b projects closer to the upper magnetic pole layer 25 than is the first magnetic pole part 10 a, so as to connect with the first magnetic pole part 10 a. At a position separated from the air bearing surface 30 by way of a part of the first conductor group 116 and second conductor group 120, which will be explained later, the third magnetic pole part 10 c projects closer to the upper magnetic pole layer 25 than is the first magnetic pole part 10 a, so as to connect with the first magnetic pole part 10 a. As shown in FIG. 2, the third magnetic pole part 10 c comprises a pillar 32 a and a projection 32 b protruding toward the air bearing surface 30 from the pillar 32 a, whereas the projection 32 b has a curved surface forming a part of a cylinder (cylindrically curved surface). The pillar 32 a is formed like a rectangular column.
As shown in FIG. 1, the upper magnetic pole layer 25 comprises a first magnetic pole part 25 a in contact with the recording gap layer 24, and a second magnetic pole part 25 b disposed on the first magnetic pole part 25 a. The upper magnetic pole layer 25 also comprises a track width defining part 25A and a yoke part 25B. The track width defining part 25A is an opposing magnetic pole part in the present invention, and defines a recording track width. The track width defining part 25A comprises an end part disposed on the air bearing surface 30, and an arm part extending from the end part so as to connect with the yoke part 25B. The yoke part 25B comprises a fixed width part having a constant width, and a taper part whose width gradually decreases from the fixed width part to the track width defining part 25A.
The inner conductor parts 111 to 115 have a variable width structure in which the width (path width) intersecting a current gradually expands from the part corresponding to the upper magnetic pole layer 25 to the outside thereof, and includes the narrowest part having the narrowest path width at a position corresponding to the projection 32 b of the third magnetic pole part 10 c. The separation insulating film 15 is formed with a thickness not greater than the shortest distance between the bottom of the first conductor group 116 and the lower magnetic pole layer 10. Namely, as shown in FIG. 4A, the shortest distance between the first conductor group 116 and lower magnetic pole layer 10 equals the thickness of the insulating film 11 interposed between the bottom of the inner conductor parts 112, 114 and the lower magnetic pole layer 10, whereas the thickness of the separation insulating film 15 has a thickness not greater than that of the insulating film 11.
The outer conductor parts 121 to 125 have a variable width structure in which the path width expands from the part corresponding to the upper magnetic pole layer 25 to the outside thereof, and includes the narrowest part having the narrowest path width at a position corresponding to the projection 32 b of the third magnetic pole part 10 c. The connecting part group 130 comprises a plurality of connecting parts 131 to 140. The connecting parts 131 to 140 are provided for connecting the inner conductor parts 111 to 115 to the outer conductor parts 121 to 125, respectively, and arranged along the air bearing surface 30 on the outside of the upper magnetic pole layer 25 in the following manner. Namely, the connecting parts 131, 133, 135, 137, 139 are disposed so as to connect the rectangular end parts 121 b to 125 b of the outer conductor parts 121 to 125 to the rectangular end parts 111 a to 115 a of the inner conductor parts 111 to 115. The connecting parts 132, 134, 136, 138 are disposed so as to connect the rectangular end parts 122 a to 125 a of the outer conductor parts 122 to 125 to the rectangular end parts 111 b to 114 b of the inner conductor parts 111 to 114. The connecting part 140 is disposed so as to connect a lead layer 126 to the rectangular end part 115 b of the inner conductor part 115.
Referring to FIGS. 5A,5B to 22A,22B together with FIGS. 1 to 4A,4B mentioned above, a method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head having the structure mentioned above will now be explained.
Subsequently, on the first magnetic pole part 10 a, an insulating film 11 made of alumina, for example, is formed by a thickness of 0.2 μm, for example. Then, the insulating film 11 is selectively etched, so as to form the insulating film 11 with an opening at a position where the second magnetic pole part 10 b and third magnetic pole part 10 c are to be formed. Then, though not depicted, an electrode film made of an electrically conductive material is formed by a thickness of about 50 to 80 nm by sputtering so as to cover the first magnetic pole part 10 a and insulating film 11. This electrode film functions as an electrode and seed layer at the time of plating.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a photoresist 12 is formed so as to cover the first inner conductor parts 112, 114, second magnetic pole part 10 b, and third magnetic pole part 10 c. Subsequently, while using the photoresist 12 as a mask, the first magnetic pole part 10 a is selectively etched, for example, by ion beam etching, so as to pattern the first magnetic pole part 10 a. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, after removing the photoresist 12, a protective photoresist 13 for the first inner conductor parts 112, 114 is disposed at a position where second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115 are to be provided. The protective photoresist 13 is formed so as to fill at least the space between the second magnetic pole part 10 b and the inner conductor part 112, the space between the inner conductor parts 112 and 114, and the space between the inner conductor part 114 and the third magnetic pole part 10 c. Further, an insulating layer 14 made of alumina, for example, is formed by a thickness of 4 to 6 μm so as to cover the whole upper face of thus obtained laminate. Then, the insulating layer 14 is ground by CMP, for example, until the protective photoresist 13 is exposed.
Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the photoresist 13 is removed. Then, a separation insulating film 15 made of alumina, for example, for separating the inner conductor parts from each other is formed by CVD, for example, so as to cover the whole upper face of the laminate. This forms a plurality of inner grooves each covered with the separation insulating film 15 between the second magnetic pole part 10 b and the inner conductor part 112, between the inner conductor parts 112 and 114, and between the inner conductor part 114 and the third magnetic pole part 10 c, respectively. The thickness of the separation insulating film 15 is not greater than that of the insulating film 11. Therefore, the thickness of the separation insulating film 15 is preferably 0.2 μm or less, within the range of 0.08 to 0.15 μm in particular. The separation insulating film 15 may be a film formed by CVD in which H2O, N2, N2O, or H2O2 as a material used for forming a thin film and Al(CH3)3 or AlCl3 as a material used for forming a thin film are intermittently emitted in an alternating fashion under the decreased pressure and at a temperature of 100� C., for example. This forming process laminates a plurality of thin alumina films, thus yielding the separation insulating film 15 with a desirable thickness, which can reliably insulate the inner conductor parts from each other while narrowing the gaps therebetween.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115 are formed in the following manner in the respective inner grooves covered with the separation insulating film 15. Initially, a first electrically conductive film made of Cu constituting the electrode film 16 is formed by a thickness of 30 to 50 nm, for example, by sputtering so as to cover the whole upper face of the laminate. Subsequently, on the first electrically conductive film, a second electrically conductive film made of Cu similarly constituting the electrode film 16 is formed by a thickness of 50 to 80 nm, for example, by CVD. The forming of the second electrically conductive film does not intend to bury each inner groove, i.e., each of the inner grooves between the second magnetic pole part 10 b and the inner conductor part 112, between the inner conductor parts 112 and 114, and between the inner conductor part 114 and the third magnetic pole part 10 c, as a whole, but to cover the inner grooves while taking advantage of favorable step coverage in CVD. The first and second electrically conductive films constitute the electrode film 16. The electrode film 16 functions as an electrode and seed layer in plating which will be carried out later.
Subsequently, on the electrode film 16, an electrically conductive layer 17 made of Cu, for example, is formed by a thickness of 4 to 5 μm by plating. The electrode film 16 and electrically conductive layer 17 are formed so as to provide the second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115. Thus, in this embodiment, the second electrically conductive film made of Cu is formed by CVD, and the electrically conductive layer 17 made of Cu is formed on the second electrically conductive film by plating. As a consequence, the electrically conductive layer 17 is reliably buried in the inner grooves, i.e., between the second magnetic pole part 10 b and the first inner conductor part 112, between the first inner conductor parts 112 and 114, and between the first inner conductor part 114 and the third magnetic pole part 10 c. Then, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the electrically conductive layer 17 is ground by CMP, for example, until the second magnetic pole part 10 b, third magnetic pole part 10 c, and first inner conductor parts 112, 114 are exposed. This grinding forms the second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115 by the electrically conductive layer 17 and electrode film 16 remaining in the inner grooves, i.e., between the second magnetic pole part 10 b and the first inner conductor part 112, between the first inner conductor parts 112 and 114, and between the first inner conductor part 114 and the third magnetic pole part 10 c. Thus obtained second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115 and the above-mentioned first inner conductor parts 112, 114 form the first conductor group 116. The resulting second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115 are formed so as to be buried in the respective inner grooves, and thus are disposed adjacent the first inner conductor parts 112, 114. Only the separation insulating film 15 exists between the second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115 and their adjacent first inner conductor parts 112, 114. Therefore, the first inner conductor parts 112, 114 and the second inner conductor parts 111, 113, 115 form respective insulating contact structures.
Next, on the second magnetic pole part 10 b and third magnetic pole part 10 c exposed by etching, a fourth magnetic pole part 10 d and a fifth magnetic pole part 10 e, which constitute the second magnetic pole layer in the present invention, are formed by frame plating, for example. On the rectangular end parts of the inner conductor parts 111 to 115, respective first connecting part layers constituting a lower connecting layer in the present invention are formed. Among the first connecting part layers, the connecting part layer 18 a formed on the rectangular end part 114 b of the inner conductor part 114 is shown in FIG. 13A. Usable as a material for the fourth magnetic pole part 10 d, fifth magnetic pole part 10 e, and first connecting part layer is one having a high saturated magnetic flux density, e.g., CoNiFe having a saturated magnetic flux density of 2.1 T and FeCox having a saturated magnetic flux density of 2.3 T.
Subsequently, the whole upper face of the laminate is coated with a photoresist 42, and then patterning is carried out so as to leave the photoresist 42 at only a predetermined area. Using thus left photoresist 42 as a mask, the magnetic layer 41, recording gap layer 24, sixth magnetic pole part 10 f, and insulating layer 23 are etched in the part not covered with the photoresist 42. The part of magnetic layer 41 left after etching will later form the first magnetic pole part 25 a. Further, as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, an insulating film 43 made of alumina is formed so as to cover the whole upper face of the laminate.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, a magnetic layer 44 made of a magnetic material for forming the first magnetic pole part 25 a is formed by sputtering, for example, so as to cover the whole upper face of the laminate. Preferably, the magnetic layer 44 is formed from a material having a high saturated magnetic flux density, e.g., CoFeN having a saturated magnetic flux density of 2.4 T. Subsequently, on the magnetic layer 44, a second magnetic pole part 25 b is formed by frame plating, for example. Preferably, the second magnetic pole part 25 b is also formed from a material having a high saturated magnetic flux density, e.g., CoNiFe having a saturated magnetic flux density of 2.3 T. The second magnetic pole part 25 b is disposed so as to extend from a position corresponding to the sixth magnetic pole part 10 f to a position corresponding to the seventh magnetic pole part 10 g. Next, while using the second magnetic pole part 25 b as an etching mask, the magnetic layer 44 is etched by ion beam etching or RIE employing a halogen type gas such as Cl2 at a temperature of 200� C. to 250� C. As a consequence, the part of magnetic layer 44 covered with the second magnetic pole part 25 b and left after etching forms the first magnetic pole part 25 a. As such, the second magnetic pole part 25 b and first magnetic pole part 25 a form the upper magnetic pole layer 25 on the lower magnetic pole layer 10.
The thin-film magnetic head in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 31A,31B to 37A,37B.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 32A and 32B, the electrically conductive layer 63 is used as a mask, so as to remove the electrode film 62 except for the part under the electrically conductive layer 63. The electrode film 62 may be removed by ion beam etching in which the advancing direction of an ion beam forms an angle within the range of 45� to 75� with respect to a direction perpendicular to the upper face of the first magnetic pole part 10 a, for example. Alternatively, in order to completely remove the electrode film 62 formed on a surface having irregularities, wet etching using diluted hydrochloric acid, diluted sulfuric acid, or diluted nitric acid, or electrolytic etching using a copper sulfate solution may be employed for removing the electrode film 62.
Embodiment of Head Gimbal Assembly and Hard Disk Drive
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