Deposition of insulating thin film by a plurality of ion beams

A method of forming within a vacuum chamber a plurality of insulating thin films of alumina for incorporating as read-write gap layers into magnetic recording heads formed on substrates comprising:

• providing a substrate support, said substrate support including a turntable;
• providing a plurality of substrate mounts supported on said turntable;
• providing a target formed of a material which includes a first component of the insulating thin film;
• providing a target holder for supporting said target;
• providing a first discharge chamber within said vacuum chamber into which Argon gas is directed through a first inlet;
• providing a second discharge chamber within said vacuum chamber into which a mixture of Argon and oxygen gases are directed through a second inlet;
• igniting said gases concurrently in said first and second discharge chambers by RF power for generating plasmas within said vacuum chamber;
• directing a first ion beam toward said target for dispersing material from said target;
• directing a second assist ion beam toward said substrates, said second assist ion beam including a second component of the insulating thin films wherein the material dispersed from said target reacts with said second component of said second assist ion beam and deposits onto the substrates as insulating thin films;
• while directing said first ion beam and said second assist ion beam, simultaneously rotating said substrate mounts continuously about substantially parallel spaced axes and independently rotating said turntable continuously about a shaft and oscillating said target holder continuously and bidirectionally and oscillating said substrate support continuously and bidirectionally;
• whereby said insulating thin films of said alumina are deposited uniformly on said substrates of said magnetic recording heads with minimal pinholes.