# US 7,612,965 B2 · Thin-film magnetic head having heatsink wider on air bearing surface side > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,612,965 B2 - Document ID: US7612965B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/214,725 - Filed: 2005-08-31 - Published: 2006-04-13 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2004-10-07 - Assignees: TDK Corporation - Inventors: Katsuki Kurihara; Taro Oike; Hiraku Hirabayashi; Norikazu Ota - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612965B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/3136: {for reducing the pole-tip-protrusion at the head transducing surface, e.g. caused by thermal expansion of dissimilar materials} - G11B 5/3106: {where the integrated or assembled structure comprises means for conditioning against physical detrimental influence, e.g. wear, contamination (G11B5/3133 takes precedence)} - G11B 5/314: {where the layers are extra layers normally not provided in the transducing structure, e.g. optical layers (G11B5/3196 takes precedence)} - G11B 5/6005: {Specially adapted for spacing from a rotating disc using a fluid cushion} - G11B 5/6064: {using air pressure} - G11B 5/607: {using thermal means} - 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) ## Abstract A thin-film magnetic head with a higher protrusion efficiency is provided, which comprises: a substrate with an air bearing surface (ABS); a read head element including a lower and upper shield layers, and a write head element including a magnetic pole layer; a heating element provided in a position opposite to the ABS in relation to the read and write head elements; and a heatsink element including a heatsink layer provided adjacent to an end opposite to an end in the ABS side of at least one layer of the lower and upper shield layers and the magnetic pole layer, the heatsink element having a shape that a pattern width in the track-width direction of an end portion in the ABS side is larger than a pattern width in the track-width direction of an end portion opposite to the end portion in the ABS side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thin-film magnetic head comprising: a substrate with an air bearing surface; at least one read head element including a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, and at least one write head element including at least one magnetic pole layer, formed on said substrate; at least one heating element provided in a position opposite to said air bearing surface in relation to said at least one read head element and said at least one write head element; and at least one heatsink element including at least one heatsink layer provided adjacent to an end opposite to an end in said air bearing surface side of at least one layer of said lower shield layer, said upper shield layer and said at least one magnetic pole layer, said at least one heatsink element having a shape that a pattern width in a track-width direction of an end portion in said air bearing surface side is larger than a pattern width in the track-width direction of an end portion opposite to said end portion in said air bearing surface side. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one heatsink element has a shape that a pattern width in the track-width direction monotonically decreases from an end portion in said air bearing surface side toward an end portion opposite to said end portion in said air bearing surface side. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one heatsink element has one shape or at-least-two-combined shapes of a convex shape, a shape with at least one corner of a rectangle removed, a triangular shape and a semicircular shape, or said one shape or said at-least-two-combined shapes with corners rounded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one heating element is formed between said substrate and said at least one heatsink element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one heatsink element covers wholly said at least one heating element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 4, wherein a heat-conduction-controlling layer is provided between said substrate and said at least one heating element, which is formed of a material with a coefficient of thermal conductivity smaller than that of materials that said substrate and said at least one heating element are formed of. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one heatsink layer is formed of the same deposited film as a film that at least one layer of said lower shield layer, said upper shield layer and said at least one magnetic pole layer, is formed of. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one read head element is a giant magnetoresistive effect element or a tunnel magnetoresistive effect element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thin-film magnetic head as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one write head element is an inductive coil element for longitudinal magnetic recording or an inductive coil element for perpendicular magnetic recording. ### Claim 10 A head gimbal assembly comprising: a thin-film magnetic head comprising: a substrate with an air bearing surface; at least one read head element including a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, and at least one write head element including at least one magnetic pole layer, formed on said substrate; at least one heating element provided in a position opposite to said air bearing surface in relation to said at least one read head element and said at least one write head element; and at least one heatsink element including at least one heatsink layer provided adjacent to an end opposite to an end in said air bearing surface side of at least one layer of said lower shield layer, said upper shield layer and said at least one magnetic pole layer, said at least one heatsink element having a shape that a pattern width in a track-width direction of an end portion in said air bearing surface side is larger than a pattern width in the track-width direction of an end portion opposite to said end portion in said air bearing surface side; and trace conductors for supplying currents to said at least one heating element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one heatsink element has a shape that a pattern width in the track-width direction monotonically decreases from an end portion in said air bearing surface side toward an end portion opposite to said end portion in said air bearing surface side. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one heatsink element has one shape or at-least-two-combined shapes of a convex shape, a shape with at least one corner of a rectangle removed, a triangular shape and a semicircular shape, or said one shape or said at-least-two-combined shapes with corners rounded. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one heating element is formed between said substrate and said at least one heatsink element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein said at least one heatsink element covers wholly said at least one heating element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein a heat-conduction-controlling layer is provided between said substrate and said at least one heating element, which is formed of a material with a coefficient of thermal conductivity smaller than that of materials that said substrate and said at least one heating element are formed of. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one heatsink layer is formed of the same deposited film as a film that at least one layer of said lower shield layer, said upper shield layer and said at least one magnetic pole layer, is formed of. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one read head element is a giant magnetoresistive effect element or a tunnel magnetoresistive effect element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The head gimbal assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one write head element is an inductive coil element for longitudinal magnetic recording or an inductive coil element for perpendicular magnetic recording. ### Claim 19 A magnetic disk drive apparatus comprising: at least one head gimbal assembly comprising: a thin-film magnetic head comprising: a substrate with an air bearing surface; at least one read head element including a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, and at least one write head element including at least one magnetic pole layer, formed on said substrate; at least one heating element provided in a position opposite to said air bearing surface in relation to said at least one read head element and said at least one write head element; and at least one heatsink element including at least one heatsink layer provided adjacent to an end opposite to an end in said air bearing surface side of at least one layer of said lower shield layer, said upper shield layer and said at least one magnetic pole layer, said at least one heatsink element having a shape that a pattern width in a track-width direction of an end portion in said air bearing surface side is larger than a pattern width in the track-width direction of an end portion opposite to said end portion in said air bearing surface side; and trace conductors for supplying currents to said at least one heating element; and a heater-current control means for controlling currents supplied to said at least one heating element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one heatsink element has a shape that a pattern width in the track-width direction monotonically decreases from an end portion in said air bearing surface side toward an end portion opposite to said end portion in said air bearing surface side. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one heatsink element has one shape or at-least-two-combined shapes of a convex shape, a shape with at least one corner of a rectangle removed, a triangular shape and a semicircular shape, or said one shape or said at-least-two-combined shapes with corners rounded. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one heating element is formed between said substrate and said at least one heatsink element. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said at least one heatsink element covers wholly said at least one heating element. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein a heat-conduction-controlling layer is provided between said substrate and said at least one heating element, which is formed of a material with a coefficient of thermal conductivity smaller than that of materials that said substrate and said at least one heating element are formed of. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one heatsink layer is formed of the same deposited film as a film that at least one layer of said lower shield layer, said upper shield layer and said at least one magnetic pole layer, is formed of. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one read head element is a giant magnetoresistive effect element or a tunnel magnetoresistive effect element. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The magnetic disk drive apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one write head element is an inductive coil element for longitudinal magnetic recording or an inductive coil clement for perpendicular magnetic recording.