MAGNETIC HEAD WITH PROTECTIVE FILMS

• US 20090015970A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Biskeborn, Robert Glenn, Liang, Jason, Lo, Calvin Shyhjong, Topuria, Teya
• Granted Patent: US 7,990,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/320
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/584 for track following on tapes

Abstract

A magnetic, head according to one embodiment includes a substrate; a sensor formed above the substrate; a second shield formed above the sensor and the substrate; a first insulation layer positioned between the substrate and the sensor; a second insulation layer positioned between the sensor and the second shield; and a nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer formed between the substrate and the sensor.

Claims

1. A magnetic head, comprising:

a substrate,

a sensor formed above the substrate;

a second shield formed above the sensor and the substrate;

a first insulation layer positioned between the substrate and the sensor;

a second insulation layer positioned between the sensor and the second shield; and

a nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer formed between the substrate and the sensor.

2. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a read transducer flanked by hard bias layers, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer has a width that is substantially coextensive with widths of the hard bias layers of the sensor and a width of the read transducer.

3. A magnetic, head as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a read transducer flanked by hard bias layers, wherein at least an end of the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer adjacent a media-proximal surface of the magnetic head is divided into two sections, wherein each section has a width that is at least substantially coextensive with a width of the hard bias layer closest thereto.

4. A magnetic head as recited in claim 3, further comprising a first shield positioned between the substrate and the first insulation layer, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is positioned between the first shield and the first insulation layer.

5. A magnetic head as recited in claim 4, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is positioned in at least one recess in the first shield.

6. A magnetic head as recited in claim 3, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is positioned between the sensor and the first insulation layer.

7. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first shield positioned between the substrate and the first insulation layer, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is positioned between the first shield and the first insulation layer.

8. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is positioned between the sensor and the first insulation layer.

9. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, wherein a second nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is positioned between the sensor and the second shield.

10. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is constructed of a substantially pure refractory metal

11. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is constructed of an alloy of a refractory metal.

12. A magnetic, head as recited in claim 1, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer comprises tantalum.

13. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is at least about 50 Å

thick.

14. A magnetic head as recited in claim 1, further comprising several additional nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layers and several additional first insulating layers forming a laminate structure with the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer.

15. A magnetic data storage system, comprising;

a magnetic head as recited in claim 1;

a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording medium over the head; and

a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head.

16. A magnetic head, comprising:

a substrate;

a first shield formed above the substrate;

a sensor formed above the first shield and the substrate;

a second shield formed above the sensor and the substrate;

a first insulation layer positioned between the first shield and the sensor;

a second insulation layer positioned between the sensor and the second shield; and

a nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer formed between at least one of the shields and the sensor,

wherein the sensor comprises a read transducer flanked by hard bias layers, wherein the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer has a width that is substantially coextensive with widths of the hard bias layers of the sensor.

17. A magnetic head, comprising:

a substrate;

a sensor formed above the substrate;

a first shield formed between the sensor and substrate; and

a second shield formed above the sensor and substrate.

wherein at least one of the first shield and the second shield is a laminate structure comprising layers of a magnetic material and layers of a nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer.

18. A magnetic head as recited in claim 17, wherein a thickness of the layers of the nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer is less than a thickness of the layers of the magnetic material.

19. A magnetic head as recited in claim 17, wherein thicknesses of the layers of the magnetic material vary, wherein the thicknesses of the layers of the magnetic material increase towards the sensor.

20. A magnetic head, comprising:

a pair of write poles; and

a nonmagnetic, non-electrically insulative layer formed between the write poles.