Double patterning hard mask for damascene perpendicular magnetic recording (pmr) writer

Abstract

Various embodiments of the subject disclosure provide a double patterning process that uses two patterning steps to produce a write structure having a nose shape with sharp corners. In one embodiment, a method for forming a write structure on a multi-layer structure comprising a substrate and an insulator layer on the substrate is provided. The method comprises forming a hard mask layer over the insulator layer, performing a first patterning process to form a pole and yoke opening in the hard mask layer, performing a second patterning process to remove rounded corners of the pole and yoke opening in the hard mask layer, removing a portion of the insulator layer corresponding to the pole and yoke opening in the hard mask layer to form a trench in the insulator layer, and filling the trench with a magnetic material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.