Thin-film magnetic head and manufacturing method thereof
AssigneeAlps Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsKiyoshi Sato, Hideki Gochou, Hisayuki Yazawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lower shield layer is formed by being embedded in a first recess formed in an under layer. Accordingly, the distance between the lower shield layer and a slider can be reduced. Also, a second metal layer is formed from above a gap layer covering an electrode extracting layer over above the under layer hindwards therefrom. Accordingly, the second metal layer can be brought closer to the slider side than an upper shield layer. Consequently, the thermal dissipation effects of the thin-film magnetic head can be improved.
Claims22
A thin-film magnetic head comprising a lower shield layer and upper shield layer, and a magnetoresistance effect element between both shield layers;
- wherein said lower shield layer is formed on an under layer formed on a substrate, with a first recess, which extends in the height direction from the face facing a recording medium, formed in said under layer, and said lower shield layer formed within the first recess, and with a second recess which extends in the height direction, formed in the under layer distanced from the rear end face of said lower shield layer by a predetermined distance and behind in the height direction, and a first metal layer formed within the second recess;
- and wherein the upper face of said lower shield layer, the upper face of said under layer, and the upper face of said first metal layer are a same smoothed face.
A thin-film magnetic head comprising a lower shield layer and upper shield layer, and a magnetoresistance effect element between both shield layers;
- wherein an electrode extracting layer for supplying electric current is connected to said magnetoresistance effect element, with an insulating layer provided from above said magnetoresistance effect element over said electrode extracting layer;
- and wherein said upper shield layer is formed upon said insulating layer, and wherein at least a part of a second metal layer provided at a position distanced in the height direction from said upper shield layer by a predetermined distance is formed on a layer lower than the upper face of said insulating layer extending hindwards in the height direction from the rear edge face of said insulating layer.
A method for manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head, comprising:
- (a) a step for forming an under layer on a substrate;
- (b) a step for forming in said under layer a first recess which extends in the height direction from the face facing a recording medium, and a second recess which extends in the height direction, in the under layer distanced from said first recess by a predetermined distance;
- (c) a step for forming a lower shield layer by embedding in said first recess, and forming a first metal layer by embedding in said second recess;
- (d) a step for forming the upper face of said lower shield layer, the upper face of said first metal layer, and the upper face of said under layer, as a same smoothed face;
- and
- (e) a step for forming a magnetoresistance effect element on said lower shield layer and forming an upper shield layer on said magnetoresistance effect element.
A method for manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head, comprising:
- (i) a step for forming a magnetoresistance effect element on a lower shield layer, and further forming an electrode extracting layer for supplying electric current to said magnetoresistance effect element, following which an insulating layer is formed from above said magnetoresistance effect element over said electrode extracting layer, with at least a part of the upper face of a layer situated lower than the upper face of said insulating layer being exposed hindwards in the height direction from the rear edge face of said insulating layer;
- and
- (j) a step for forming an upper shield layer on said insulating layer, and also forming a second metal layer on at least the exposed face of said layer situated below.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.