Abstract: A bi-layer anti-reflective coating for use in photolithographic applications, and specifically, for use in ultraviolet photolithographic processes. The bi-layered anti-reflective coating is used to minimize pattern distortion due to reflections from neighboring features in the construction of microcircuits. The bi-layer anti-reflection coating features a first layer, an absorption layer, disposed on a second layer, a dielectric layer, which is then disposed between a substrate and a photoresist layer. The dielectric/absorption layer comprises one combination selected from Ta/Al2O3, Ta/SiO2, Ta/TiO2, Ta/Ta2O5, Ta/Cr2O3, Ta/Si3N4, Ti/Al2O3, Ti/SiO2, Ti/TiO2, Ti/Ta2O5, Ti/Cr2O3, Ti/Si3N4, Cr/Al2O3, Cr/SiO2, Cr/TiO2, Cr/Ta2O5, Cr/Cr2O3, Cr/Si3N4, Al/Al2O3, Al/TiO2, Al/Ta2O5, Al/Cr2O3, Al/Si3N4, Ni/Al2O3, Ni/SiO2, Ni/TiO2, Ni/Ta2O5, Ni/Cr2O3, Ni/Si3N4, Ir/Al2O3, Ir/SiO2, Ir/TiO2, Ir/Ta2O5, Ir/Cr2O3, and Ir/Si3N4. At least the absorption and dielectric layers can be formed using vacuum deposition.

Abstract: The present invention includes an overplated component which includes an enlarged mushroom head having outer portions which overhang a hard baked resist layer. The device is ultimately encapsulated such that no voids and/or redeposition problems exist under the overhang due to the presence of the hard baked resist. While not intended to be limiting in any manner, a device of the present invention is a thin film magnetic head wherein the yoke portion of a magnetic pole is formed utilizing the mushroom plating techniques of the present invention. Another mushroom plated component found in many devices is a mushroom plated electrical interconnecting stud that is formed utilizing the process steps of the present invention.

Abstract: An isotropic deposition method for trench narrowing of thin film magnetic write head features to be created by reactive ion etching. According to the method, a photolithographically defined photoresist trench is formed over a hardmask and underlying polymer layer as part of tri-layer resist process. Instead of performing the usual hardmask and polymer etching steps using the photoresist mask pattern, a spacer layer is deposited isotropically or directionally at an angle to cover the vertical side walls of the trench. The spacer layer is etchable by the hardmask etch process but resistant to the polymer etch process. When the hardmask etch process is performed, the spacer layer material applied to the trench side walls remains intact, thereby defining a narrowed trench that is extended by the subsequent base layer etch process.

Abstract: An isotropic deposition method for trench narrowing of thin film magnetic write head features to be created by reactive ion etching. According to the method, a photolithographically defined photoresist trench is formed over a hardmask and underlying polymer layer as part of tri-layer resist process. Instead of performing the usual hardmask and polymer etching steps using the photoresist mask pattern, a spacer layer is deposited isotropically or directionally at an angle to cover the vertical side walls of the trench. The spacer layer is etchable by the hardmask etch process but resistant to the polymer etch process. When the hardmask etch process is performed, the spacer layer material applied to the trench side walls remains intact, thereby defining a narrowed trench that is extended by the subsequent base layer etch process.

Abstract: A first embodiment of the mushroom plating process of the present invention starts with an overplated component which includes an enlarged mushroom head having outer portions which overhang a resist layer. The next step in the first process embodiment is a heating step in which the resist layer is hard baked. Thereafter, using a dry etch process, such as a reactive ion etch (RIE) process, the hard baked resist layer is removed in all areas except beneath the overhang of the mushroom head. The area beneath the overhang thereby remains filled with hard baked resist. Thereafter, the device is ultimately encapsulated such that no voids and/or redeposition problems exist under the overhang due to the presence of the hard baked resist. In an alternative process embodiment of the present invention the dry etch process is conducted first upon the resist layer, such that the resist layer is removed in all areas except under the overhang.

Abstract: A bi-layer anti-reflective coating for use in photolithographic applications, and specifically, for use in ultraviolet photolithographic processes. The bi-layered antireflective coating is used to minimize pattern distortion due to reflections from neighboring features in the construction of microcircuits. The bi-layer anti-reflection coating features a first layer, an absorption layer, disposed on a second layer, a dielectric layer, which is then disposed between a substrate and a photoresist layer. The dielectric/absorption layer comprises one combination selected from Ta/Al2O3, Ta/SiO2, Ta/TiO2, Ta/Ta2O5, Ta/Cr2O3, Ta/Si3N4, Ti/Al2O3, Ti/SiO2, Ti/TiO2, Ti/Ta2O5, Ti/Cr2O3, Ti/Si3N4, Cr/Al2O3, Cr/SiO2, Cr/TiO2, Cr/Ta2O5, Cr/Cr2O3, Cr/Si3N4, Al/Al2O3, Al/TiO2, Al/Ta2O5, Al/Cr2O3, Al/Si3N4, Ni/Al2O3, Ni/SiO2, Ni/TiO2, Ni/Ta2O5, Ni/Cr2O3, Ni/Si3N4, Ir/Al2O3, Ir/SiO2, Ir/TiO2, Ir/Ta2O5, Ir/Cr2O3, and Ir/Si3N4. At least the absorption and dielectric layers can be formed using vacuum deposition.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing includes 2 mushroom plating process starts with an overplated component which includes an enlarged mushroom head having outer portions which overhang a resist layer. The next step in the first process embodiment is a heating step in which the resist layer is hard baked. Thereafter, using a dry etch process, such as a reactive ion etch (RIE) process, the hard baked resist layer is removed in all areas except beneath the overhang of the mushroom head. The area beneath the overhang thereby remains filled with hard baked resist. Thereafter, the device is ultimately encapsulated such that no voids and/or redeposition problems exist under the overhang due to the presence of the hard baked resist. In an alternative process embodiment of the present invention the dry etch process is conducted first upon the resist layer, such that the resist layer is removed in all areas except under the overhang. Thereafter, the device is baked, such that hard baked resist remains beneath the overhang.

Abstract: An isotropic deposition method for trench narrowing of thin film magnetic write head features to be created by reactive ion etching. According to the method, a photolithographically defined photoresist trench is formed over a hardmask and underlying polymer layer as part of tri-layer resist process. Instead of performing the usual hardmask and polymer etching steps using the photoresist mask pattern, a spacer layer is deposited isotropically or directionally at an angle to cover the vertical side walls of the trench. The spacer layer is etchable by the hardmask etch process but resistant to the polymer etch process. When the hardmask etch process is performed, the spacer layer material applied to the trench side walls remains intact, thereby defining a narrowed trench that is extended by the subsequent base layer etch process.

Abstract: A fabrication method using a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) eliminating deleterious effects of unwanted reflected light during the photo exposure step of a photolithographic process. The BARC coating comprises a carbon coating having a thickness of 300 angstroms, deposited by a carbon ion beam deposition tool, and an initial silicon BARC coating layer having thickness of 20 angstroms deposited before the carbon coating. Where the BARC layer is utilized in a photolithographic NiFe pole tip fabrication process, a NiFe seed layer is first deposited upon a substrate. The BARC layer is then formed on the NiFe seed layer and the pole tip trench is then photolithographically created. Thereafter, the BARC layer is removed from the bottom of the trench, utilizing a reactive ion etch process, exposing the NiFe seed layer. The NiFe pole tip is then fabricated into the trench, and any remaining photoresist and BARC layer are removed.

Abstract: A thin film inductive write head has minimal organic insulation material in contact with the encapsulating overcoat. The process for its fabrication includes a reactive ion etching (RIE) process to remove the organic insulative material while still allowing the head top pole piece to be planar. The organic insulation material is removed by RIE down to the head gap layer in the region between the ABS and the coil. The etching is done with the top or second pole piece acting as a mask so that the planarized organic insulation material is still maintained over the portion of the coil that is located between the two pole pieces. Thus the organic insulation material is still present in this region as the planarization layer onto which the ferromagnetic layer for the second pole piece was deposited.

Abstract: The present invention provides a prebent ceramic suspension which includes a ceramic load beam which is bent by a stress patch. With thin film techniques the stress patch is formed on top of the load beam. In the preferred embodiment the patch is amorphous hydrogenated diamond-like carbon. When the suspension is on a wafer the carbon patch exerts a compressive stress on a top surface of the load beam just under the patch. When the suspension is released from the wafer the compressive patch exerts tensile forces on the top surface of the load beam causing an end of the load beam to bend toward the wafer. The amount of bending of the suspension can be accurately controlled by the cross sections of the load beam and the patch as well as the lateral dimensions of the patch. Further control can be achieved by controlling the hydrogen, nitrogen and other additive components of the carbon patch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a prebent ceramic suspension which includes a ceramic load beam which is bent by a stress patch. With thin film techniques the stress patch is formed on top of the load beam. In the preferred embodiment the patch is amorphous hydrogenated diamond-like carbon. When the suspension is on a wafer the carbon patch exerts a compressive stress on a top surface of the load beam just under the patch. When the suspension is released from the wafer the compressive patch exerts tensile forces on the top surface of the load beam causing an end of the load beam to bend toward the wafer. The amount of bending of the suspension can be accurately controlled by the cross sections of the load beam and the patch as well as the lateral dimensions of the patch. Further control can be achieved by controlling the hydrogen, nitrogen and other additive components of the carbon patch.

Abstract: A method for providing a thin film metallization area on a substrate is disclosed comprising the steps of: depositing a Ta adhesion layer on the surface of the substrate seed layer, conducting a photo resist process on the Ta adhesion layer to define the thin film metallization area, including a remnant removal process to remove remnant photo resist process material in the thin film metallization area to the Ta adhesion layer, the Ta adhesion layer preventing the remnant removal from reaching the seed layer, conducting a Ta removal reactive-ion-etch process to remove the Ta adhesion layer in the thin film metallization area, so that the seed layer is exposed in the metallization area. A metal material may then be deposited in the metallization area.

Abstract: A wear indicator is incorporated on the slider of a magnetic transducer in a magnetic storage system for in operation on-the-fly detection of the state of wear of the transducer. The wear indicator involves monitoring a change in an electrical property of an electrical circuit structure as the transducer is worn by abrasion against the magnetic disk medium. In one aspect of the present invention, the resistance (or conductance) of the circuit is monitored during disk drive operations. Part of the resistance (conductance) circuit structure is mounted on the slider and it is physically worn along with the wearing of the transducer. A predetermined change in resistance (or conductance) gives an indication of the predetermined wear limit at which the transducer should be replaced prior to its actual failure. In a specific embodiment, the circuit is configured such that an open circuit (infinite resistance or zero conductance) indicates that the wear limit has been reached.

Abstract: A method is provided for making an assembly that has an integrated suspension, actuator arm and actuator coil. At least one actuator coil layer is located in the actuator arm region. The actuator coil layer is mounted to at least one homogeneous support layer which extends between terminal ends of the assembly for supporting all layers. A hole is provided through all layers in the actuator region at a pivot point for receiving an actuator spindle. In some embodiments of the invention, a transducer coil layer may be integrated in the suspension region and may be located in substantially a common plane with the actuator coil layer. The actuator region may be provided with a silicon base which contains integrated processing circuits which are connected to the transducer coil layer. A device may be carried by the assembly for bending the suspension region with respect to the actuator arm region.

Abstract: A contact recording disk file uses an integrated head-suspension assembly having a head carrier with a dual-layer wear pad for contacting the disk during read and write operations. The outer wear layer of the pad is relatively soft and wear prone compared to a harder and more wear-resistant inner layer. The outer wear layer wears away at a relatively rapid rate during initial wear-in of the head carrier. In this manner the head pole pieces, which extend into the wear pad, are rapidly put into contact with the disk, thereby compensating for initial misalignment of the wear pad with the surface of the disk. The inner wear layer then provides wear resistance over the life of the disk file. In the preferred embodiment, both the outer and inner wear layers are formed of essentially amorphous carbon doped with different amounts of hydrogen.

Abstract: A method is provided for constructing well defined plated miniature metallic structures. A seedlayer may be formed over an insulative layer such as a gap layer of a write head. A protective layer, such as alumina or silicon dioxide, is formed on top of the seedlayer to protect it from a subsequent reactive ion etching (RIE) step. A relatively thick layer of material, such as polymeric photoresist, is formed on top of the protective layer, the thick layer being of a type of material which can be patterned by reactive ion etching. By photolithography, an RIE mask, such as a thin layer of patterned metal, is formed on top of the relatively thick resist layer. The pattern of the mask corresponds to the desired shape of the metallic structure to be formed by plating. After masking the relatively thick layer the relatively thick layer is anisotropically etched by RIE.