# US 7,461,445 B2 · Method of manufacturing a magnetic head with a deposited shield

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- Number: US 7,461,445 B2
- Document ID: US7461445B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/047,956
- Filed: 2005-01-31
- Published: 2006-08-03
- Granted: 2008-12-09
- Earliest claimed: 2005-01-31
- Assignees: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
- Inventors: April D. Hixson-Goldsmith
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7461445B2

## CPC

- G11B 5/3967: {Composite structural arrangements of transducers, e.g. inductive write and magnetoresistive read (G11B5/3906 takes precedence)}
- G11B 5/3163: {Fabrication methods or processes specially adapted for a particular head structure, e.g. using base layers for electroplating, using functional layers for masking, using energy or particle beams for shaping the structure or modifying the properties of the basic layers}
- G11B 5/3912: {Arrangements in which the active read-out elements are transducing in association with active magnetic shields, e.g. magnetically coupled shields (G11B5/3916 takes precedence)}
- Y10S 29/016: Method or apparatus with etching
- Y10T 29/49032: Fabricating head structure or component thereof
- Y10T 29/49041: with significant slider/housing shaping or treating
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method for fabricating a non-electroplated shield using combination patterning and devices formed thereby are disclosed. The method includes depositing a metal layer, such as CZT, removing substantially 75% of the metal layer during a first phase using at least a first removal process and removing a remaining portion of the metal layer during a second phase using at least a second removal process. The first removal process may include depositing a first patterning layer, removing substantially 75% of the metal layer by ion-mill or similar technology and stripping the first patterning layer away. The second removal process may include depositing a second patterning layer and removing the remaining portion of the metal layer using a wet-etch or other etch process and removing the second patterning layer. The deposited metal layer may have a thickness up to several μm and the edges of the shield exhibit a unique step pattern that is visible in a cross-section view of the shield.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing a deposited metal shield layer of a magnetic read head, comprising:
depositing a metal layer over a substrate;
depositing a first resist mask over and in contact with the metal layer, the first resist mask allowing portions of the metal layer to be exposed;
ion milling the metal layer to remove the exposed portions of the metal layer not being masked to produce ion milled areas in the metal layer;
removing the first mask after ion milling the metal layer;
depositing a second resist mask having an area larger than the first resist mask and covering portions of the ion milled areas of the metal layer and exposing other portions of the ion milled areas of the metal layer;
etching the remaining other portions of the ion milled areas of the metal layer down to the substrate to produce a step pattern in the metal layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the metal layer includes a thickness up to several μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the first resist mask comprises depositing an A3 photo layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the second resist mask comprises depositing an A5 photo layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the etching the remaining other portions of the ion milled areas of the metal layer down to the substrate to produced the step pattern in the metal layer further comprises using a wet-etch to remove the remaining other portions of the ion milled areas of the metal layer.