Self aligned wrap around shield for perpendicular magnetic recording
AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorsQuang Le, Nian-Xiang Sun, Howard Gordon Zolla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A write element for use in perpendicular magnetic recording. The write element including a write pole and a self aligned wrap around shield that can have a trailing shield gap thickness that is different from its side shield gap thickness. The materials making up the trailing shield gap and the side shield gaps can be different materials or can be the same material deposited in two different steps. The side or wrap around portions of the trailing shield can extend down to the level of the leading edge of the write pole or can terminate at some point between the levels of the leading and trailing edge to form a partial wrap around trailing shield.
Claims23
A magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording, the write element comprising:
- a read element;
- and
- a write head, the write head further comprising;
- a write pole extending to an air bearing surface, the write pole having a trailing edge and first and second sides;
- a magnetic return pole located in a leading direction from the write pole and extending to the air bearing surface;
- a wrap around trailing shield constructed of a magnetic material;
- a trailing shield gap formed between the trailing edge of the write pole and the wrap around trailing shield;
- a side gap formed between the write pole and the wrap around trailing shield, the first trailing shield gap having a thickness that is different than a thickness of the side gap;
- a magnetic pedestal, located at the air bearing surface, contacting the magnetic return pole and extending toward the write pole;
- and
- first and second magnetic pedestal extensions, located at the air bearing surface and each connected with both the magnetic pedestal and the wrap around trailing shield;
- wherein the trailing shield is located away from the read element, such that the trailing shield magnetically shields the write head, but not the read element.
A write element for perpendicular magnetic recording:
- comprising:
- a write pole, constructed of a magnetic material having a trailing edge and a side;
- a wrap around trailing shield separated from the trailing edge of the write pole by a first non-magnetic gap material, and separated from the side of the write pole by a second non-magnetic gap material that is different from the first non-magnetic gap material;
- a magnetic return pole located in a leading direction relative to write pole, such that the write pole is between the return pole and the trailing wrap around shield;
- a magnetic pedestal connected with the return pole at an air bearing surface and extending toward, but not to the write pole;
- a magnetic pedestal extension connected with the magnetic pedestal and the wrap around trailing shield and
- a read element located in a leading direction relative to the return pole, such that the return pole is located between the read element and the write pole.
A method for constructing a magnetic write head for use in perpendicular magnetic recording, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
- depositing a non-magnetic trailing shield gap material;
- depositing a chemical mechanical polish stop layer;
- forming a mask;
- performing an ion mill to remove selected portions of the write pole material to form a write pole;
- depositing a layer of side gap material,;
- depositing a RIEable material;
- performing a chemical mechanical polishing process to remove the deposited materials down to a level of the CMP stop layer;
- performing a reactive ion etch sufficiently to remove a selected amount of the RIEable material;
- and
- depositing a magnetic material to form a magnetic shield.
A method for constructing a magnetic write element for use in perpendicular recording, the method comprising:
- depositing a layer of magnetic write pole material;
- depositing a first layer of non-magnetic gap material on the layer of write pole material;
- removing selected portions of the write pole material to define a write pole having first and second laterally opposed sides;
- and
- depositing a second layer of non-magnetic gap material at least a portion of the second non-magnetic gap material contacting the sides of the write pole, the second gap material being a different material than the first gap material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.