METHODS OF FORMING PORTIONS OF NEAR FIELD TRANSDUCERS (NFTS) AND ARTICLES FORMED THEREBY

• US 20150318003A1
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Cheng, Yuhang, Seigler, Michael, Franzen, Scott, Pitcher, Philip G., Wierman, Kurt W., Antrazi, Sami, Rejda, Edward F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,305,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0021 Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal
• 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 5/313 Disposition of layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3133 including layers not usually being a part of the electromagnetic transducer structure and providing additional features, e.g. for improving heat radiation, reduction of power dissipation, adaptations for measurement or indication of gap depth or other properties of the structure G11B5/3106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/314 where the layers are extra layers normally not provided in the transducing structure, e.g. optical layers G11B5/3196 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

Abstract

Methods that include forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure; depositing a material onto at least one surface of the portion of the NFT to form a metal containing layer; and subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT; and devices formed thereby.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure;

depositing a material onto at least one surface of the portion of the NFT to form a metal containing layer;

subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion comprises annealing.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the annealing comprises oven annealing or laser annealing.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the annealing comprises heating the metal containing layer to at least about 100°

C.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion comprises applying an electrical bias to the NFT structure and wherein the step of depositing and applying the electrical bias to the NFT are undertaken simultaneously.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the electrical bias is from about 200 V to about 1000 V.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal containing layer comprises Cr, Sn, Pt, Y, Pd, Mn, Cu, In, Ni, Pd, Al, Ti, Ta, or combinations thereof.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal containing layer comprises at least two layers.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the metal containing includes an outer layer comprising Si, Ta, Al, Mn, Y, Cr, or combinations thereof.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising oxidizing at least a portion of the outer layer.

11. The method according to claim 1 further comprising removing some portion of the metal containing layer from the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of removing some portion of the metal containing layer is accomplished with plasma etching, or ion milling.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein not more than about 0.5 nanometers of the metal containing layer remains on the surface of the NFT.

14. The method according to claim 1 further comprising depositing an overcoat material after some portion of the metal containing layer has been removed.

15. The method according to claim 1 further comprising removing a portion of the metal containing layer before subjecting it to conditions to cause it to diffuse.

16. A method comprising:

forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure;

depositing a material onto at least an air bearing surface of the NFT to form a metal containing layer;

subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT;

removing at least a portion of the metal containing layer; and

applying an overcoat layer.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising oxidizing at least a portion of the metal containing layer after subjecting it to diffusion causing conditions.

18. A method comprising:

forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure;

depositing a material onto at least an air bearing surface of the NFT to form a metal containing layer;

removing a portion of the metal containing layer not on the air bearing surface of the NFT;

subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT;

removing at least a portion of the metal containing layer; and

applying an overcoat layer.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising oxidizing at least a portion of the metal containing layer after subjecting it to diffusion causing conditions.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the step of subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion comprises annealing.