US 6,747,846 B2 · Thin film magnetic head preventing corrosion and thin film magnetic head slider, and methods of producing the same

Abstract

The present invention forms a conductor that is in electrically conductive contact, through an inside metal layer, with the magnetic thin film of the recording magnetic pole of a thin film magnetic head, and is also exposed to the outside. The equilibrium electrode potential of the conductor in an aqueous solution is set higher than that of the magnetic thin film, and its surface area is larger than the cross-sectional area of the magnetic thin film on the air bearing surface facing the magnetic recording medium. This makes it possible to retard corrosion of the recording magnetic thin film in the process of manufacturing thin film magnetic heads, whereby depletion of the magnetic thin film due to corrosion can be prevented, resulting in improved recording and reproducing qualities.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A thin film magnetic head comprising a recording magnetic element formed by a magnetic thin film and a conductor formed so as to make electrically conductive contact with the recording magnetic element, the conductor having a higher equilibrium electrode potential than that of the recording magnetic element unit in an aqueous solution, and having a larger surface area than the cross-sectional area of the recording magnetic element on an air bearing surface facing a magnetic recording medium.

A method of producing a thin film magnetic head slider comprising a process of forming a recording and reproducing magnetic element including a magneto-resistive effect reproducing magnetic element formed by a magnetic thin film, a recording magnetic element that generates a magnetic field, and a recording coil for carrying electric current;

a process of coating the recording and reproducing magnetic element with an insulating over coat;
a process of forming metal films for electrically connecting the reproducing magnetic element and the recording coil via lead wires to the outside so as to expose to the outer surface of the insulating over coat;
a process of forming a conductor exposed to the outer surface of the insulating over coat via a lead wire so as to make electrically conductive contact with the recording magnetic element;
and a process of lapping and washing the air bearing surface facing a magnetic recording medium, wherein the conductor has a higher equilibrium electrode potential in an aqueous solution than that of the recording magnetic element unit and has a larger surface area than the cross-sectional area of the recording magnetic element on the air bearing surface facing the magnetic recording medium.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/075,269Filed 15 Feb 2002

Priority

JP 2001-26265331 Aug 2001

Published

US 2003/0206373 A16 Nov 2003

Granted

8 Jun 2004

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G11B 5/6005
Fluid-dynamic spacing of heads from record-carriers: specially adapted for spacing from a rotating disc using a fluid cushion
Y10T 29/49032
Magnetic recording reproducing transducer [e.g., tape head, core, etc.]: fabricating head structure or component thereof
G11B
Information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer
Y10T
Technical subjects covered by former us classification

Thin film magnetic head preventing corrosion and thin film magnetic head slider, and methods of producing the same

Life of this patent

Thin film magnetic head preventing corrosion and thin film magnetic head slider, and methods of producing the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9