Thin film magnetic head with contoured surface
AssigneeAiwa Co., Ltd.
InventorStephen G. Jordan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of fabricating thin film magnetic heads on a thin film substrate uses a chemical-mechanical contouring (CMC) step after completion of the fundamental thin film head structure to form a curved surface on the substrate for the individual thin film magnetic heads of a substantial plurality of heads on a thin film substrate. A special CMC process utilizes a soft polishing pad, applying mechanical contouring motion at a slow speed, typically on the order of 1/3 a typical conventional CMP rotational speed, and at a relatively high pressure, typically two to three times a typical conventional CMP applied pressure.
Claims17
A thin film magnetic head structure comprising:
- a substrate having a planar surface;
- a plurality of magnetic heads laterally distributed on the planar surface of the substrate, the individual magnetic heads including a plurality of magnetic poles and having a head form that is raised relative to the planar surface of the substrate, the planar surface transitioning to the raised head through a throat height, the throat height having a uniformity among the plurality of magnetic heads within one micron;
- an insulator layer formed generally overlying and extending lateral to the magnetic poles on the surface of the substrate;
- a dielectric layer formed generally overlying the insulator layer and the magnetic poles overlying the surface of the substrate, the dielectric layer being formed into a smooth, nearly hemispherical shape with substantial uniformity so that throat height is uniform to a defined tolerance among the plurality of magnetic heads.
An apparatus comprising:
- a finished thin film substrate including a plurality of magnetic thin-film head devices, the magnetic thin-film head devices having a head structure that is raised relative to a planar surface of the thin film substrate, the planar surface being transitioned to the raised head through a throat height;
- and
- a substantially smooth, curved surface overlying ones of the plurality of magnetic thin-film head devices so that throat height is uniform to a defined tolerance among the plurality of magnetic thin-film head devices;
- a magnetic pole and a hard frame in the magnetic thin-film head devices, the magnetic pole and the hard frame extending to the thin film substrate planar surface, the substantially smooth, curved surface overlying the plurality of magnetic thin-film head devices being chemical-mechanically contoured using a slurry including an oxygen-rich etchant and a solid abrasive material, the slurry being positively selective of the hard frame in comparison to the magnetic pole.
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a finished thin film substrate including a plurality of thin film magnetic heads, the magnetic thin-film heads being raised relative to a planar surface of the thin film substrate, the planar surface transitioning to the raised head through a throat height;
- a substantially smooth, curved surface overlying ones of the plurality of thin film magnetic heads, the smooth, curved surface being at least partly formed of a dielectric layer and being uniform on the substrate so that throat height is uniform to a defined accuracy among the plurality of magnetic thin-film heads;
- and
- a protective frame overlying the smooth, nearly hemispherical shaped dielectric layer, the protective frame having a surface conformal to the smooth, nearly hemispherical shaped surface of the dielectric layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.