High data rate write head

A magnetic disk drive, including a write head and a read head that have an air bearing surface (ABS), comprising:

• the write head including:
• first and second pole pieces;
• first and second coil layers in the yoke region;
• the second pole piece having a ferromagnetic pole tip component which forms a portion of the ABS and defines a track width of a write head;
• a write gap layer located between the first pole piece and the pole tip component;
• a dielectric first insulation layer interfacing first and second side surfaces and a back surface of the pole tip component and located between the first and second coil layers;
• and
• the second pole piece having a ferromagnetic second pole piece structure extending across the second coil layer and magnetically connected to the pole tip component in the front region and the first pole piece in the back gap region;
• the read head including:
• a sensor;
• nonmagnetic nonconductive first and second read gap layers;
• the sensor being located between the first and second read gap layers;
• a ferromagnetic first shield layer;
• and
• the first and second read gap layers being located between the first shield layer and the first pole piece layer;
• a housing;
• a magnetic disk rotatably supported in the housing;
• a support mounted in the housing for supporting the magnetic head assembly with said ABS facing the magnetic disk so that the magnetic head assembly is in a transducing relationship with the magnetic disk;
• a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disk;
• an actuator positioning means connected to the support for moving the magnetic head to multiple positions with respect to said magnetic disk;
• and
• a processor connected to the magnetic head, to the spindle motor and to the actuator for exchanging signals with the magnetic head, for controlling movement of the magnetic disk and for controlling the position of the magnetic head.

A magnetic head assembly partially bounded by a top surface, a bottom surface and a front surface that forms a portion of an air bearing surface comprising:

• first and second pole pieces;
• the first pole piece having a ferromagnetic first pole piece layer having front, middle and back portions with the middle portion located between front and back portions;
• the first pole piece further having a ferromagnetic pedestal magnetically coupled to the front portion of the first pole piece layer and a ferromagnetic back gap component magnetically coupled to the back portion of the first pole piece layer with the middle portion of the first pole piece layer located between the pedestal and the back gap component;
• a dielectric first insulation layer on the middle portion of the first pole piece layer;
• a first coil layer located on the first insulation layer which has spaced apart turns and which is spaced from each of the pedestal and the back gap component;
• a dielectric second insulation layer located between the turns of the first coil layer and between the first coil layer and each of the pedestal and the back gap component;
• the pedestal, the second insulation layer and the back gap component having top surfaces which form a first coplanar surface;
• the first coplanar surface having front, middle and back portions with the middle portion located between front and back portions;
• a nonmagnetic write gap layer located on the front and middle portions of the first coplanar surface;
• the write gap layer having front and rear portions;
• the second pole piece having a ferromagnetic pole tip component which is located on the front portion of the write gap layer and which has a width that defines a track width of the write head;
• the second pole piece further having a ferromagnetic back gap component magnetically coupled to the back gap component of the first pole piece;
• a dielectric third insulation layer located on the rear portion of the write gap layer in a space between the pedestal and the first back gap component of the second pole piece;
• the pole tip component, the third insulation layer and the back gap component of the second pole piece having top surfaces which form a second coplanar surface;
• the second coplanar surface having front, middle and back portions with the middle portion located between the front and back portions;
• a second coil layer located on the middle portion of the second coplanar surface;
• the second pole piece having a second pole piece structure located over the second coil layer and magnetically connected to the pole tip component at the front portion of the second coplanar surface and magnetically connected to the back gap component of the second pole piece at the back portion of the second coplanar surface;
• and
• a dielectric fourth insulation layer located between the turns of the second coil layer and between the second coil layer and the second pole piece structure.

A method of making a magnetic head, having an air bearing surface (ABS), comprising:

• forming first and second pole pieces;
• forming first and second coil layers in the yoke region;
• forming the second pole piece with a ferromagnetic pole tip component which forms a portion of the ABS and defines a track width of a write head;
• forming a write gap layer between the first pole piece and the pole tip component;
• forming a dielectric first insulation layer interfacing first and second side surfaces and a back surface of the pole tip component and located between the first and second coil layers;
• and
• forming the second pole piece with a ferromagnetic second pole piece structure extending across the second coil layer and magnetically connected to the pole tip component in the front region and the first pole piece in the back gap region.

A method of making a magnetic head partially bounded by a top surface, a bottom surface and a front surface that forms a portion of an air bearing surface comprising the steps of:

• forming first and second pole pieces;
• the first pole piece being formed with a ferromagnetic first pole piece layer having front, middle and back portions with the middle portion located between front and back portions;
• the first pole piece further being formed with a ferromagnetic pedestal magnetically coupled to the front portion of the first pole piece layer and a ferromagnetic back gap component magnetically coupled to the back portion of the first pole piece layer with the middle portion of the first pole piece layer located between the pedestal and the back gap component;
• forming a dielectric first insulation layer on the middle portion of the first pole piece layer;
• forming a first coil layer on the first insulation layer with spaced apart turns and spaced from each of the pedestal and the back gap component;
• forming a dielectric second insulation layer between the turns of the first coil layer and between the first coil layer and each of the pedestal and the back gap component;
• forming the pole tip pedestal, the second insulation layer and the back gap component with top surfaces which form a first coplanar surface with the first coplanar surface having front, middle and back portions with the middle portion located between front and back portions;
• forming a nonmagnetic write gap layer on the front and middle portions of the first coplanar surface with the write gap layer having front and rear portions;
• forming the second pole piece with a ferromagnetic pole tip component which is located on the front portion of the write gap layer and which has a width that defines a track width of the write head;
• further forming the second pole piece with a ferromagnetic back gap component magnetically coupled to the back gap component of the first pole piece;
• forming a dielectric third insulation layer on the rear portion of the write gap layer in a space between the pedestal and the first back gap component of the second pole piece;
• forming the pole tip component, the third insulation layer and the back gap component of the second pole piece having top surfaces which form a second coplanar surface with the second coplanar surface having front, middle and back portions with the middle portion located between the front and back portions;
• forming a second coil layer located on the middle portion of the second coplanar surface;
• forming the second pole piece with a second pole piece structure over the second coil layer and magnetically connected to the pole tip component at the front portion of the second coplanar surface and magnetically connected to the back gap component of the second pole piece at the back portion of the second coplanar surface;
• and
• forming a dielectric fourth insulation layer located between the turns of the second coil layer and between the second coil layer and the second pole piece structure.