# US 9,437,221 B2 · Method of making a transducer head

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- Number: US 9,437,221 B2
- Document ID: US9437221B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/840,600
- Filed: 2015-08-31
- Published: 2015-12-24
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-11
- Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC
- Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC
- Inventors: Lien Lee; Yongjun Zhao; Lijuan Zou; Mark Henry Ostrowski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437221B2

## CPC

- 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 5/3163: {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 5/6088: {Optical waveguide in or on flying head}
- G11B 2005/0021: {Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal}
- Y10T 29/49048: Machining magnetic material [e.g., grinding, etching, polishing]
- Y10T 29/49052: by etching
- 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)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method of making a transducer head disclosed herein includes depositing a spacer layer on an NFT layer of the transducer head, forming an etch stop layer on a spacer layer of a transducer, depositing a cladding layer on the etch stop layer, and milling the cladding layer at a sloped angle such that the milling stops at the etch stop layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A partial transducer head, comprising:
a core layer;
a spacer layer;
a near field transducer (NFT) layer; and
an etch stop layer formed at least partially on the spacer layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The partial transducer head of claim 1, further comprising a write pole formed on the etch stop layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The partial transducer head of claim 1, wherein the etch stop layer is made of amorphous carbon.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The partial transducer head of claim 1, wherein the etch stop layer is made of at least one of (i) metal and (ii) photo resist.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The partial transducer of claim 2, wherein the write pole is surrounded by heat sink material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The partial transducer of claim 5, wherein the write pole is separated from a first return pole by a cladding layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The partial transducer of claim 5, wherein the write pole has a notched surface facing the NFT.

### Claim 8

A transducer head, comprising:
a write pole with a notched surface facing a near field transducer (NFT); and
a heat sink layer surrounding the write pole at an air-bearing surface (ABS) of the transducer head, wherein the spacing between the NFT and the write pole is controlled during the manufacture of the transducer head by using a spacer layer and a photo resist.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The transducer head of claim 8, wherein the write pole is separated from a first return pole by a cladding layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The transducer head of claim 8, further comprising a core layer separating the NFT from a second return pole.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The transducer head of claim 10, further comprising a read sensor separated from the second return pole by a top shield.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The transducer head of claim 8, wherein the notched surface of the write pole has a curved shape.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The transducer head of claim 8, wherein the NFT intersects a surface of the write pole facing the NFT.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The transducer head of claim 8, wherein the notched surface of the write pole has a rectangular shape.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The transducer head of claim 8, wherein the notched surface of the write pole has a triangular shape.

### Claim 16

A partial transducer head, comprising:
a spacer layer;
a near field transducer (NFT) layer; and
an etch stop layer formed at least partially on the spacer layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The partial transducer head of claim 16, further comprising a core layer on the opposite side of the NFT from the side having a write pole layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The partial transducer head of claim 16, further comprising a cladding layer deposited on the etch stop layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The partial transducer head of claim 18, wherein the cladding layer is milled at a sloped angle.