Post-parting etch to smooth silicon sliders
AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorsTimothy Clark Reiley, Nicholas Buchan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To smooth silicon sliders that have been parted from each other on a wafer by DRIE, an isotropic etch using fluorine either in a gas or in an aqueous solution is performed prior to separating the individual sliders from the wafer.
Claims14
A method for removing surface particles and protrusions from silicon slider bodies, comprising:
- forming the bodies on a wafer, each slider body defining a respective air bearing surface and opposed to the air bearing surface a flex surface, the air bearing surface being separated from the flex surface by orthogonal opposed surfaces;
- and
- while the slider bodies remain attached to the wafer, exposing the wafer to an isotropic etching substance to etch the air bearing surface, the flex surface, and the orthogonal exposed surfaces of each body at substantially the same rate at the same time.
A method for processing slider bodies, comprising:
- forming silicon slider bodies on a wafer, each slider body defining a respective air bearing surface and opposed to the air bearing surface a flex surface, the air bearing surface being separated from the flex surface by orthogonal opposed surfaces;
- and
- removing unwanted material from the slider bodies by exposing the bodies to an isotropic etchant to etch the air bearing surface, the flex surface and the orthogonal exposed surfaces of each body at substantially the same rate at the same time.
A method for making sliders comprising exposing plural slider bodies at once to an isotropic etchant to cause silicon on the slider bodies to react with fluorine in the etchant, each slider body defining a respective air bearing surface and opposed to the air bearing a flex surface, the air bearing surface being separated from the flex surface by orthogonal opposed surfaces, the air bearing surface, the flex surface, and the orthogonal exposed surface of each body being etched at substantially the same rate at the same time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.