# US 2010/0163522 A1 · Method for manufacturing a write pole of a magnetic write head for magnetic data recording

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- Number: US 2010/0163522 A1
- Document ID: US20100163522A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/345,804
- Filed: 2008-12-30
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-30
- Inventors: Aron Pentek; Sue Siyang Zhang; Yi Zheng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100163522A1

## CPC

- 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}
- G11B 5/1278: {specially adapted for magnetisations perpendicular to the surface of the record carrier}
- 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)}
- G11B 5/315: {Shield layers on both sides of the main pole, e.g. in perpendicular magnetic heads}
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)

## Abstract

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head. The write head is constructed by a method that includes depositing a magnetic write pole material and then depositing a hard mask over the magnetic material. An inorganic image transfer layer is formed over the hard mask. SiC, alumina, SiO2, SiN, Ta or TaOx. This image transfer is physically robust, so that it does not bend or tip over during manufacture. The image of a patterned photoresist layer can be transferred onto the underlying image transfer layer, and an ion milling can be performed to pattern the image of the image transfer layer onto the underlying hard mask and magnetic material, thereby forming a magnetic write pole.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate;
depositing a magnetic write pole material;
depositing a hard mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
depositing an inorganic image transfer layer, wherein the image transfer layer comprises SiC, SiO2, SiN, Ta or TaOx;
forming a resist mask, configured to define a write pole;
transferring the image of the resist mask onto the underlying image transfer layer and hard mask structure; and
performing an ion milling to remove portions of the magnetic write pole material that are not protected by the hard mask structure to form a write pole.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 further comprising after depositing the image transfer layer and before forming the resist mask, depositing a second hard mask structure, the method further comprising transferring the image of the resist mask onto the second hard mask structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the image transfer layer consists of SiC.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the image transfer layer comprises SiC having a thickness of 4000-8000 Angstroms.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the image transfer layer comprises SiC, alumina, SiO2, SiN, Ta or TaOx deposited to a thickness of 4000-8000 Angstroms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method as in claim 1 wherein the hard mask structure comprises a layer of alumina formed directly on top of the magnetic write pole material, and further includes a RIEable layer and an end point detection layer.

### Claim 7

A method as in claim wherein the hard mask structure comprises a first layer of alumina formed on the write pole material, a RIEable layer formed on the first layer of alumina, an end point detection layer formed on the RIEable layer, and a second layer of alumina formed over the end point detection layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A method as in claim 6 wherein the layer of alumina has a thickness not greater than 20 nm and the RIEable layer has a thickness of 10-30 nm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein wherein the first layer of alumina has a thickness of not greater than 20 nm, the RIEable layer has a thickness of 10-30 nm and the second layer of alumina has a thickness of 10-40 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

A method as in claim 6 wherein the RIEable layer comprises DLC.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the REIable layer comprises DLC, SiO2, SiNx, SiC, Ta or TaOx.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

A method as in claim 6 wherein the end point detection layer comprises Ta

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

A method as in claim 6 wherein the end point detection layer comprises Ta, TaOx, NiCr or NiFe.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the end point detection layer comprises Ta

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

A method as in claim 7 wherein the end point detection layer comprises Ta, TaOx, NiCr or NiFe.

### Claim 16

A method for manufacturing a write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate;
depositing a magnetic write pole material;
depositing a laminate hard mask structure over the magnetic write pole material, the laminated hard mask structure including a first alumina layer deposited on the write pole material, a RIEable material layer deposited on the first alumina layer, an end point detection layer deposited on the RIEable layer and a second alumina layer deposited on the end point detection layer;
depositing an inorganic image transfer layer;
forming a resist mask, configured to define a write pole;
transferring the image of the resist mask onto the underlying image transfer layer and hard mask structure;
performing an ion milling to remove portions of the magnetic write pole material that are not protected by the hard mask structure to form a write pole;
depositing alumina by atomic layer deposition;
performing a second ion milling to remove a portion of the alumina layer, the second ion milling being performed sufficiently to expose the inorganic image transfer layer;
performing a reactive ion etching to remove the inorganic image transfer layer;
performing a third ion milling to remove the second alumina layer of the hard mask structure, the third ion milling being terminated when the end point detection layer has been detected and removed;
performing a second reactive ion etching sufficiently to remove the RIEable layer;
depositing an electrically conductive seed layer;
forming a mask structure having an opening configured to define a wrap-around trailing magnetic shield; and
electroplating a magnetic material to form a wrap-around trailing magnetic shield.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A method as in claim 16 wherein the inorganic image transfer layer comprises SiC.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

A method as in claim 16 wherein the inorganic image transfer layer comprises SiC, SiO2, SiN, Ta or TaOx.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

A method as in claim 16 wherein the RIEable material of the laminate hard mask comprises diamond like carbon, Ta, TaOx, SiC, SiOx or SiON.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

A method as in claim 16 wherein the end point detection layer of the laminate hard mask comprises Ta, TaOx, NiCr or NiFe.