Magnetic recording head with a side shield structure for controlling side reading of thin film read sensor

A method of fabricating a thin film read head having improved shielding against side reading, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• depositing a film of magnetic insulation material over the substrate to form a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• forming first and second side shield elements on the bottom magnetic shield layer, the first and second side shield elements being spaced apart for insertion of additional materials on the bottom magnetic shield layer and comprising a magnetic insulation material;
• depositing a film of electrically conductive material over the first and second side shield elements and the bottom magnetic shield layer at the space defined between the first and second side shield elements;
• forming a magnetically sensitive element on the deposited electrically conductive film between the first and second side shield elements;
• forming a pair of read gap elements adjacent sides of the magnetically sensitive element;
• depositing an additional film of electrically conductive material over the read gap elements and the magnetically sensitive element;
• and
• forming a top magnetic shield layer of magnetic insulation material on the additional film of electrically conductive material.

A method of fabricating a thin film read head having improved shielding against side reading, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• depositing a film of magnetic insulation material over the substrate to form a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• forming a magnetically sensitive element on the bottom magnetic shield layer having first and second sides;
• forming first and second side shield elements comprising a magnetic insulation material adjacent the first and second sides of the magnetically sensitive element;
• forming a top magnetic shield layer of magnetic insulation material over the magnetically sensitive element the first and second side shield elements;
• deposition a first layer of read gap material on the bottom magnetic shield layer prior to the forming of the magnetically sensitive element;
• forming a pair of bias elements on the first and second side shield elements of hard magnetic material adjacent the first and second sides of the magnetically sensitive element;
• forming a pair of electrical leads over the bias elements contacting the first and second sides of the magnetically sensitive element;
• and
• depositing a second layer of read gap material over the electrical leads and the magnetically sensitive element.

A system for storing and retrieving digital data to and from a magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a head assembly positionable adjacent the magnetic recording media comprising:
• a write head;
• and
• a read head comprising:
• a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a top magnetic shield layer;
• a read sensor including electrically conducting material disposed between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers configured for sensing changes in magnetic properties of a track on the magnetic media positioned under the read sensor;
• a side shield assembly positioned between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers and adjacent to the read sensor, the side shield assembly adapted to magnetically shield the read sensor from reading magnetic signals of a track adjacent to the track under the read sensor, wherein the side shield assembly comprises a first layer of magnetically shielding material deposited on the bottom read gap layer adjacent to the first side of the read sensor and a second layer of magnetically shielding material deposited on the bottom read gap layer adjacent to the second side of the read sensor;
• a pair of electrical contacts positioned between the bottom and top magnet shield layers contacting first and second sides of the read sensor;
• a bottom read gap layer disposed between the bottom magnetic shield layer and the read sensor and the side shield assembly;
• a top read gap layer disposed between the top magnetic shield layer and the read sensor and the pair of electrical contacts;
• and
• a pair of hard magnetic elements positioned adjacent to the first and second sides of the read sensor between the first and second layers of magnetically shielding material and the electrical contacts;
• and
• a drive device for coupling to the media so as to move the media with respect to the head assembly.

A read head for reading data from a magnetic media having a plurality of adjacent circular tracks, comprising:

• a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a top magnetic shield layer;
• a read sensor including electrically conducting material disposed between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers that is configured for sensing changes in magnetic properties of a track on the magnetic media that is positioned under the read sensor;
• a side shield assembly positioned between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers and adjacent to the read sensor, the side shield assembly being adapted to magnetically shield the read sensor from reading magnetic signals of a track that is adjacent to the track under the read sensor;
• a pair of electrical contacts positioned between the bottom and top magnet shield layers and contacting first and second sides of the read sensor;
• a bottom read gap layer disposed between the bottom magnetic shield layer and the read sensor and the side shield assembly;
• a top read gap layer disposed between the top magnetic shield layer and the read sensor and the pair of electrical contacts, wherein the side shield assembly comprises a first layer of magnetically shielding material deposited on the bottom read gap layer adjacent to the first side of the read sensor and a second layer of magnetically shielding material deposited on the bottom read gap layer adjacent to the second side of the read sensor;
• and
• a pair of hard magnetic elements positioned adjacent to the first and second sides of the read sensor between the first and second layers of magnetically shielding material and the electrical contacts.

A system for storing and retrieving digital data to and from a magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a head assembly positionable adjacent the magnetic recording media comprising:
• a write head;
• and
• a read head comprising:
• a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a top magnetic shield layer;
• a read sensor including electrically conducting material disposed between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers configured for sensing changes in magnetic properties of a track on the magnetic media positioned under the read sensor;
• a side shield assembly positioned between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers and adjacent the read sensor, the side shield assembly adapted to magnetically shield the read sensor from reading magnetic signals of a track adjacent the track under the read sensor, wherein the side shield assembly includes a first side shield element that is positioned adjacent to a first side of the read sensor and that extends away from the bottom magnetic shield layer toward the top magnetic shield layer for a shielding distance and wherein the side shield assembly further includes a second side shield element that is positioned adjacent to a second side of the read sensor and that extends away from the bottom magnetic shield layer toward the top magnetic shield layer for a distance about equal to the shielding distance;
• and
• a bottom electrical contact layer deposited over the first and second side shield elements and the bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a pair of read gap elements positioned on the bottom electrical contact layer adjacent the first and second sides of the read sensor;
• and
• a top electrical contact layer positioned over the read gap elements and the read sensor;
• and
• a drive device for coupling to the media so as to move the media with respect to the head assembly.

A read head for reading data from a magnetic media having a plurality of adjacent circular tracks, comprising:

• a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a top magnetic shield layer;
• a read sensor disposed between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers;
• a side shield assembly positioned between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers and adjacent to the read sensor, the side shield assembly adapted to magnetically shield the read sensor from reading magnetic signals of a track that is adjacent to the track under the read sensor;
• a bottom electrical contact layer deposited over the first and second side shield elements and the bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a pair of read gap elements positioned on the bottom electrical contact layer adjacent to the first and second sides of the read sensor, and
• a top electrical contact layer positioned over the read gap elements and the read sensor;
• wherein the side shield assembly further includes a first top side shield element positioned adjacent to the first side of the read sensor and extending away from the top magnetic shield layer toward the bottom magnetic shield layer for a shielding distance and further including a second top side shield element positioned adjacent to the second side of the read sensor and extending away from the top magnetic shield layer toward the bottom magnetic shield layer for a distance equal to about the shielding distance;
• and
• wherein the read gap elements abut the first and second sides of the read sensor such that the top electrical contact layer and the first and second top side shield elements are proximal to the first and second sides of the read sensor but are spaced apart from the read sensor by the read gap elements.

A read head for reading data from a magnetic media having a plurality of adjacent circular tracks, comprising:

• a bottom magnetic shield layer;
• a top magnetic shield layer;
• a read sensor disposed between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers;
• a side shield assembly positioned between the bottom and top magnetic shield layers and adjacent the read sensor, wherein the side shield assembly includes a first side shield element that is positioned adjacent to a first side of the read sensor and that extends away from the bottom magnetic shield layer toward the top magnetic shield layer for a shielding distance and wherein the side shield assembly further includes a second side shield element that is positioned adjacent to a second side of the read sensor and that extends away from the bottom magnetic shield layer toward the top magnetic shield layer for a distance about equal to the shielding distance, the first and second side shield elements being formed integrally with the bottom magnetic shield layer and comprising a magnetically insulating material;
• and
• a bottom electrical contact layer deposited over the first and second side shield elements and the bottom magnetic shield layer.