Protected Transducer for Dead Layer Reduction

• US 20110007422A1
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Nazarov, Alexey V., Boonstra, Thomas R., Vasko, Vladyslav Alexandrovich, Zou, Lijuan, Peng, Xilin, Heinonen, Olle Gunnar, Gao, Kaizhong
• Granted Patent: US 9,058,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/235.4
• 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 5/3116 Shaping of layers, poles or gaps for improving the form of the electrical signal transduced, e.g. for shielding, contour effect, equalizing, side flux fringing, cross talk reduction between heads or between heads and information tracks G11B5/3113, G11B5/245 take 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

Abstract

A transducer includes magnetic material formed on a substrate that is shaped to include a trailing edge, a leading edge and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending between the trailing edge and the leading edge. A layer of protective material is positioned in contact with each of the pair of sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material. Backfill material surrounds the protective material on each of the pair of sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material.

Claims

1. A transducer comprising:

magnetic material formed on a substrate shaped to include a trailing edge, a leading edge and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending between the trailing edge and the leading edge;

a layer of protective material positioned in contact with each of the pair of sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material; and

backfill material surrounding the protective material on each of the pair of sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the layer of protective material comprises a non-magnetic material.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the layer of protective material comprises material of the substrate redeposited on the sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material using ion beam bombardment.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the layer of protective material positioned in contact with each of the pair of sidewalls is further positioned in contact with the trailing edge of the shaped magnetic material.

5. The structure of claim 4, further comprising:

a layer of insulating material deposited on the intermediate structure and a layer of magnetic material deposited on the layer of insulating material to form at least a portion of the transducer.

6. The structure of claim 5, wherein the layer of insulating material deposited on the intermediate structure comprises a gap.

7. The structure of claim 5, wherein the layer of magnetic material deposited on the layer of insulating material comprises a front shield.

8. A method of fabricating a transducer comprising:

obtaining a first intermediate structure including magnetic material formed on a substrate and a mask deposited on the magnetic material;

performing a first shaping operation on the first intermediate structure using ion beam bombardment at a first level of energy to form a second intermediate structure, the shaped magnetic material in the second intermediate structure including a trailing edge, a leading edge and a pair of sidewalls extending between the trailing edge and the leading edge; and

redepositing material of the substrate on and in contact with the sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material in the second intermediate structure using ion beam bombardment to form a protective layer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising performing a second shaping operation to the second intermediate structure using ion beam bombardment at a second level of energy to form a third intermediate structure, the second level of energy being less than the first level of energy.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of performing a first shaping operation are performed using an inductive ion beam mill.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of performing a second shaping operation are performed using a magneto-resistance ion beam mill.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the second shaping operation on the second intermediate structure is performed at a first angle relative to a position normal to the leading edge of the shaped magnetic material.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of redepositing of the material of the substrate on the sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material in the second intermediate structure using ion beam bombardment is performed at the position normal to the leading edge.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second shaping operation performed of the second intermediate structure and the redepositing of the material of the substrate on the sidewalls of the shaped magnetic material in second intermediate structure are performed using a magneto-resistance ion beam mill at the second level of energy.

15. A method of fabricating a transducer comprising:

obtaining a first intermediate structure including a magnetic material formed on a substrate and a mask deposited on the magnetic material, wherein defined between the magnetic material and the mask includes a stop plane dividing the structure into a first portion and a second portion;

performing at least one shaping operation on the first intermediate structure to form a second intermediate structure;

depositing a first protective layer of non-magnetic material on the second intermediate structure to form a third intermediate structure;

backfilling the third intermediate structure with an insulating material to form a fourth intermediate structure; and

removing the first portion of the structure at the stop plane including a portion of the backfilled insulating material, the mask and a portion of the first protective layer to form a fifth intermediate structure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first intermediate structure further comprises a second protective layer of non-magnetic material positioned on and in contact with the magnetic material, the mask deposited on and in contact with the second protective layer of non-magnetic material.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising depositing a gap material on the fifth intermediate structure and depositing a shield material on the gap material to form at least a portion of the transducer, wherein the gap material includes an insulating material and the shield material includes a magnetic material.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising depositing a second protective layer of non-magnetic material on the fifth intermediate structure to form a sixth intermediate structure.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising depositing a gap material on the sixth intermediate structure and depositing a shield material on the gap material to form at least a portion of the transducer, wherein the gap material includes an insulating material and the shield material includes a magnetic material.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of shaping first intermediate structure to form the second intermediate structure and depositing a first protective layer of non-magnetic material to form a third intermediate structure are both performed under a vacuum.