COATED MAGNETIC HEAD AND METHODS FOR FABRICATION THEREOF

• US 20100053817A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Biskeborn, Robert Glenn, Lo, Calvin Shyhjong, Ting, Andrew C.
• Application Number:
  US12/204,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053817A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/313
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/3996 large or giant magnetoresistive effects [GMR], e.g. as generated in spin-valve [SV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00826 comprising a plurality of single poles or gaps or groups thereof operative at the same time
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3106 where the integrated or assembled structure comprises means for conditioning against physical detrimental influence, e.g. wear, contamination G11B5/3133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3163 Fabrication methods or processes specially adapted for a particular head structure, e.g. using base layers for electroplating, using functional layers for masking, using energy or particle beams for shaping the structure or modifying the properties of the basic layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3169 Working or finishing the interfacing surface of heads, e.g. lapping of heads
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3909 Arrangements using a magnetic tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3967 Composite structural arrangements of transducers, e.g. inductive write and magnetoresistive read G11B5/3906 takes precedence

Abstract

In one general embodiment, a magnetic head includes a module having a substrate and a gap, the gap having an array of transducers therein, wherein the gap is recessed from a plane extending across a tape bearing surface side of the substrate; and a coating of aluminum oxide above at least a tape bearing surface side of the gap, the aluminum oxide having polycrystalline portions and amorphous portions.

Claims

1. A magnetic head, comprising:

a module having a substrate and a gap, the gap having an array of transducers therein, wherein the gap is recessed from a plane extending across a tape bearing surface side of the substrate; and

a coating of aluminum oxide above at least a tape bearing surface side of the gap, the aluminum oxide having polycrystalline portions and amorphous portions.

2. A head as recited in claim 1, wherein the gap is recessed about 10 to about 50 nanometers from the tape bearing surface.

3. A head as recited in claim 1, wherein a ratio of oxygen to aluminum in the aluminum oxide is about 3 to 2 to about 3.5 to 2.

4. A head as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating has less than about 1% atomic percent of impurities that are not aluminum and oxygen.

5. A head as recited in claim 1, further comprising an adhesion layer between the coating and the gap.

6. A head as recited in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the coating above the tape bearing surface side of the gap is about 20 to about 60 nanometers.

7. A head as recited in claim 1, wherein the module further includes a closure positioned on an opposite side of the gap than the substrate.

8. A head as recited in claim 1, wherein the transducers comprise GMR sensors.

9. A head as recited in claim 8, wherein free layers of the sensors comprise NiFe having a Ni:

Fe ratio higher than 81;

19, wherein a magnetostriction of each of the free layers of the sensors is between about −

0.5×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to about −

3.0×

10<sup>−

6</sup>, wherein read gaps of the sensor are about 0.15 micron or less.

10. A head as recited in claim 1, wherein the transducers comprise TMR sensors.

11. A head as recited in claim 10, wherein the TMR sensors each have a read width of about 0.1 to about 2.5 microns, wherein the TMR sensors are about 1.0 micron tall or less.

12. A magnetic head, comprising:

a module having a substrate, a gap, and a closure coupled to the gap on an opposite side thereof than the substrate, the gap having an array of GMR or TMR sensors therein, wherein the gap is recessed from a plane, extending across a tape bearing surface side of the substrate; and

a coating of aluminum oxide above at least a tape bearing surface side of the gap, the aluminum oxide having polycrystalline portions and amorphous portions,

wherein the gap is recessed about 10 to about 50 nanometers,

wherein a ratio of oxygen to aluminum in the aluminum oxide is about 3 to 2 to about 3.5 to 2,

wherein the coating has less than about 1% atomic percent of impurities that are not aluminum and oxygen,

wherein a thickness of the coating above the tape bearing surface side of the gap is about 20 to about 60 nanometers.

13. A head as recited in claim 12, wherein the sensors are GMR sensors, wherein free layers of the sensors comprise NiFe having a Ni:

Fe ratio higher than 81;

19, wherein a magnetostriction of each of the free layers of the sensors is between about −

0.5×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to about −

3.0×

10<sup>−

6</sup>, wherein read gaps of the sensor are about 0.15 micron or less.

14. A head as recited in claim 12, wherein the sensors are TMR sensors, wherein the TMR sensors each have a read width of about 0.1 to about 2.5 microns, wherein the TMR sensors are about 1.0 micron tall or less.

15. A method for fabricating a magnetic head, comprising:

forming a module having a substrate, a gap, and a closure coupled to the gap on an opposite side thereof than the substrate, the gap having an array of GMR or TMR sensors therein;

recessing the gap from a tape bearing surface side of the substrate;

depositing a coating of aluminum oxide above tape bearing surface sides of the gap, module and closure to a thickness of between about 10 and about 50 nanometers under conditions that form a layer of aluminum oxide having polycrystalline portions and amorphous portions;

recessing the coating to a thickness of 0 to about 20 nanometers above the tape bearing surface side of the substrate.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the coating is processed using kiss lapping.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the coating is deposited using at least one of ion beam deposition and atomic layer deposition.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the sensors are GMR sensors, wherein free layers of the sensors comprise NiFe having a Ni:

Fe ratio higher than 81;

19, wherein a magnetostriction of each of the free layers of the sensors is between about −

0.5×

10<sup>−

7</sup> to about −

3.0×

10<sup>−

6</sup>, wherein read gaps of the sensor are about 0.15 micron or less.

19. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the sensors are TMR sensors, wherein the TMR sensors each have a read width of about 0.1 to about 2.5 microns, wherein the TMR sensors are about 1.0 micron tall or less.

20. A method for fabricating a magnetic head, comprising:

forming a module having a substrate, a gap, and a closure coupled to the gap on an opposite side thereof than the substrate, the gap having an array of GMR or TMR sensors therein;

recessing the gap about 20 to about 40 nanometers from a plane extending across a tape bearing surface side of the substrate;

depositing a coating of aluminum oxide above tape bearing surface sides of the gap, module and closure to a thickness of between about 10 and about 50 nanometers under conditions that form a layer of aluminum oxide having polycrystalline portions and amorphous portions;

recessing the coating to a thickness of 0 to about 20 nanometers above the tape bearing surface side of the substrate,

wherein a ratio of oxygen to aluminum in the aluminum oxide is about 3 to 2 to about 3.5 to 2,

wherein the coating has less than about 1% atomic percent of impurities that are not aluminum and oxygen.