Method of manufacturing a write pole

• US 7,565,732 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Zolla, Howard, Le, Quang, Sun, Nian-Xiang
• Primary Examiner(s): TUGBANG, ANTHONY D
• Application Number:
  US10/931,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20060044681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 296/030.7, 296/031.2, 296/031.3, 296/031.4, 296/031.5, 296/031.6, 296/031.8, 216/22, 216/41, 216/47, 204/192.34, 360/317, 360/318, 360/319, 360/322
• US Class Current: 29/603.15
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/1278 specially adapted for magnetisations perpendicular to the surface of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/1475 Assembling or shaping of elements G11B5/153 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/315 Shield layers on both sides of the main pole, e.g. in perpendicular magnetic heads
• 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: Y10T 29/49041 with significant slider/housing shaping or treating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49043 Depositing magnetic layer or coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49046 with etching or machining of magnetic material

Abstract

A method of fabricating a magnetic write head, in accordance with one embodiment, includes forming a beveled write pole. A conformal spacer may be formed upon a portion of a flare length proximate a tip of the write pole. A shield layer may also be formed upon the conformal spacer adjacent the flare length proximate the tip of the write pole.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a magnetic write head comprising:

depositing a layer of magnetic material on a flux guide layer;

depositing a first hard mask layer on said layer of magnetic material;

depositing a second hard mask layer on said first hard mask layer;

depositing a third hard mask layer on said second hard mask layer;

depositing a photo-resist layer upon said third hard mask layer;

patterning said photo-resist layer to define a write pole;

reactive ion etching said third hard mask layer exposed by said pattern photo-resist layer wherein a third hard mask defining said write pole is formed;

reactive ion etching said second hard mask layer and said first hard mask layer exposed by said patterned third hard mask wherein a first hard mask and second hard mask defining said write pole is formed;

ion milling said layer of magnetic material exposed by said second hard mask and said first hard mask wherein a beveled write pole is formed;

forming a conformal spacer upon a portion of a flare length proximate a tip of said beveled write pole; and

forming a shield layer upon said conformal spacer adjacent said flare length proximate said tip of said beveled write pole.

2. The method according to claims 1, further comprising sweeping and rotating said ion milling to control a trailing edge width of said beveled write pole.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sweeping and rotating said ion milling to control a flare point of said beveled write pole.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

depositing a second resist layer upon said write pole; and

patterning said second resist layer to expose said flare length proximate said tip of said write pole wherein said conformal spacer is defined.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming said conformal spacer includes depositing a non-conductive material utilizing a deposition process selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, pulsed-atomic layer deposition, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and high-density plasma deposition.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said conformal spacer includes said non-conductive material selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, tungsten, and silicon oxynitride.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first hard mask layer includes a layer of carbon;

said second hard mask layer includes a layer of polyimide; and

said third hard mask layer includes a layer of oxide.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein:

said reactive ion etching said third hard mask layer utilizes a fluorine-carbon based chemistry; and

said reactive ion etching said second hard mask layer and said first hard mask layer utilizes an oxygen-carbon based chemistry.