Write head architecture for improved manufacturability

A disk drive write head comprising:

• a bottom pole;
• a write gap layer on said bottom pole;
• a first insulation layer on said write gap layer;
• a coil on said first insulation layer;
• a second insulation layer, having an insulation layer boundary;
• a top pole on said second insulation layer, said top pole including a main body portion and a nose portion and a flare line at the point where the nose portion expands to become the main body portion, said top pole further including a curved contour portion having a contour boundary, a tip which terminates in an air bearing surface, and a flat portion on the top surface of said nose extending between said tip and said contour boundary, said flat portion having a length which lies within a range of 3×10−6 meters to 6×10−6 meters;
• and
• variation in height of the surface of said flat portion throughout said length lies in the range of 100-1000 angstroms (1×10−8 meters to 1×10−7 meters).

A slider for writing data to a disk surface, said slider including a magneto-resistive write head said head comprising:

• a bottom pole;
• a write gap layer on said bottom pole;
• a first insulation layer on said write gap layer;
• a coil on said first insulation layer;
• a second insulation layer, having an insulation layer boundary;
• a top pole of said second insulation layer, said top pole including a main body portion and a nose portion and a flare line at the point where the nose portion expands to become the main body portion, said top pole further including a curved contour portion having a contour boundary, a tip which terminates in an air bearing surface, and a flat portion on the top surface of said nose extending between said tip and said contour boundary;
• and
• said insulation layer boundary being recessed from said air bearing surface such that said top pole contour boundary lies within a range of 1×10−6 meters to 3×10−6 meters of said flare line.

A computer disk drive having a slider for reading data from a disk surface, said slider including a magneto-resistive head, said head comprising:

• a bottom pole;
• a write gap layer on said bottom pole;
• a first insulation layer on said write gap layer;
• a coil on said first insulation layer;
• a second insulation layer, having an insulation layer boundary;
• a top pole on said second insulation layer, said top pole including a main body portion and a nose portion and a flare line at the point where the nose portion expands to become the main body portion, said top pole further including a curved contour portion having a contour boundary, a tip which terminates in an air bearing surface, and a flat portion on the top surface of said nose extending between said tip and said contour boundary;
• and
• said insulation layer boundary being recessed from said air bearing surface such that said top pole contour boundary lies within a range of 1×10−6 meters to 3×10−6 meters of said flare line.

A method of fabricating a disk drive write head comprising the step of:

• a. forming a bottom pole;
• b. forming a write gap layer on said bottom pole;
• c. forming a first insulation layer on said write gap layer;
• d. forming a coil on said first insulation layer;
• e. forming a second insulation layer, having an insulation layer boundary;
• and
• f. forming a top pole on said second insulation layer, said top pole including a main body portion and a nose portion and a flare line at the point where the nose portion expands to become the main body, portion said top pole further including a curved contour portion having a contour boundary, a tip which terminates in an air bearing surface, and a flat portion on the top surface of said nose extending between said tip and said contour boundary, said insulation layer boundary being formed recessed from said air bearing surface such that said top pole contour boundary lies within a range of 1×10−6 meters to 3×10−6 meters of said flare line.