Abstract: A method for making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor structure produces a top electrode that is “self-aligned” on the top of the sensor and with a width less than the sensor trackwidth. A pair of walls of ion-milling resistant material are fabricated to a predetermined height above the biasing layers at the sensor side edges. A layer of electrode material is then deposited onto the top of the sensor between the two walls. The walls serve as a mask during angled ion milling to remove outer portions of the electrode layer. The height of the walls and the angle of ion milling determines the width of the resulting top electrode. This leaves the reduced-width top electrode located on the sensor. Because of the directional ion milling using walls that are aligned with the sensor side edges, the reduced-width top electrode is self-aligned in the center of the sensor.

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-the plane magnetoresistive sensor has top and bottom electrodes narrower than the sensor trackwidth. The electrodes are formed of one of Cu, Au, Ag and AgSn, which have an ion milling etch rate much higher than the etch rates for the sensor's ferromagnetic materials. Ion milling is performed at a high angle relative to a line orthogonal to the plane of the electrode layers and the layers in the sensor stack. Because of the much higher etch rate of the material of the top and bottom electrode layers, the electrode layers will have side edges that are recessed from the side edges of the free layer. This reduces the surface areas for the top and bottom electrodes, which causes the sense current passing through the sensor's free layer to be confined in a narrower channel, which is equivalent to having a sensor with narrower physical trackwidth.

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-the plane magnetoresistive sensor has top and bottom electrodes narrower than the sensor trackwidth. The electrodes are formed of one of Cu, Au, Ag and AgSn, which have an ion milling etch rate much higher than the etch rates for the sensor's ferromagnetic materials. Ion milling is performed at a high angle relative to a line orthogonal to the plane of the electrode layers and the layers in the sensor stack. Because of the much higher etch rate of the material of the top and bottom electrode layers, the electrode layers will have side edges that are recessed from the side edges of the free layer. This reduces the surface areas for the top and bottom electrodes, which causes the sense current passing through the sensor's free layer to be confined in a narrower channel, which is equivalent to having a sensor with narrower physical trackwidth.

Abstract: A method for making a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor structure produces a top electrode that is “self-aligned” on the top of the sensor and with a width less than the sensor trackwidth. A pair of walls of ion-milling resistant material are fabricated to a predetermined height above the biasing layers at the sensor side edges. A layer of electrode material is then deposited onto the top of the sensor between the two walls. The walls serve as a mask during angled ion milling to remove outer portions of the electrode layer. The height of the walls and the angle of ion milling determines the width of the resulting top electrode. This leaves the reduced-width top electrode located on the sensor. Because of the directional ion milling using walls that are aligned with the sensor side edges, the reduced-width top electrode is self-aligned in the center of the sensor.

Abstract: A photolithographic mask set for creating a plurality of characters on a device includes a plurality of photolithographic masks, wherein each mask includes at least one mask character area and at least one mask character field area that surrounds said mask character area; wherein each said mask character field area has a radiation energy density transmission factor Tf that is greater than zero, and wherein each mask character area has a radiation energy density transmission factor Tc that is greater than zero, such that each mask character field area and each mask character area of each mask is not opaque.

Abstract: A photolithographic mask set for creating a plurality of characters on a device includes a plurality of photolithographic masks, wherein each mask includes at least one mask character area and at least one mask character field area that surrounds said mask character area; wherein each said mask character field area has a radiation energy density transmission factor Tf that is greater than zero, and wherein each mask character area has a radiation energy density transmission factor Tc that is greater than zero, such that each mask character field area and each mask character area of each mask is not opaque.

Abstract: A photolithographic method for forming a plurality of characters on a device utilizes a mask set that includes a plurality of photolithographic masks, wherein each mask includes at least one non-opaque mask character field area that surrounds a non-opaque mask character area. Photoresist is exposed to radiation energy density through the set of masks using the masks sequentially to create at least one character field area of the photoresist, and a character area of the photoresist. Ultimately, because the character areas of the photoresist are exposed to some light energy density from the non-opaque mask character field areas during each mask exposure step, the total photoresist exposure time to create the series of characters is less than that of the prior art.

Abstract: A dual current-perpendicular-to-plane scissor sensor according to one embodiment includes a middle free layer; two outer free layers positioned on opposite sides of the middle free layer; spacer layers between the middle free layer and each of the outer free layers; and a hard bias layer positioned behind the free layers relative to a media-facing surface of the sensor, wherein the free layers are about magnetostatically balanced.

Abstract: A read sensor for a magneto resistive head is formed through the use of a bilayer lift-off mask. According to one embodiment, a release layer is formed on top of a sensor layer. A silicon-containing resist layer is formed over the release layer. The resist layer is patterned according to the desired dimensions of the read sensor. Then, plasma etching, such as oxygen plasma etching, is used to remove the portion of the release layer that is exposed by removal of resist material. The release layer may be etched to undercut the patterned resist layer, or may entirely removed beneath the patterned resist layer to provide a bridge of the resist material. In either case, isotropic plasma etching, anisotropic plasma etching, or some combination thereof may be applied.

Abstract: Both the wafer serial number and slider region location indicia on the wafer are formed on the front surface of the wafer using optical principles, i.e., without using a laser.

Abstract: A photolithographic method for forming a plurality of characters on a device utilizes a mask set that includes a plurality of photolithographic masks, wherein each mask includes at least one non-opaque mask character field area that surrounds a non-opaque mask character area. Photoresist is exposed to radiation energy density through the set of masks using the masks sequentially to create at least one character field area of the photoresist, and a character area of the photoresist. Ultimately, because the character areas of the photoresist are exposed to some light energy density from the non-opaque mask character field areas during each mask exposure step, the total photoresist exposure time to create the series of characters is less than that of the prior art.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a thin film component according to one embodiment comprises forming a wafer having a thin film layer, a release layer, and a patterned layer of photoresist; transferring the pattern of the layer of photoresist to the release layer and the thin film layer; adding a layer of metal to the wafer; heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature for a period of time sufficient to cause deformation of the photoresist to an extent that the photoresist creates cracks in the metal layer; applying a solvent to dissolve at least a portion of the release layer, the solvent penetrating the cracks in the metal layer to reach the release layer; and removing the release layer and any portions of the layers above the release layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a thin film component includes forming a wafer having a thin film layer, a release layer, and a patterned layer of photoresist. The pattern of the layer of photoresist is transferred to the release layer and the thin film layer. A layer of metal is added to the wafer. The wafer is heated to a temperature above a glass transition temperature of the photoresist for a period of time sufficient to cause deformation of the photoresist to an extent that the photoresist creates cracks in the metal layer. A solvent is applied to the wafer to dissolve the release layer, the solvent penetrating the cracks in the metal layer to reach the release layer. The release layer and any material above the release layer are removed.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a magnetic head wherein a read head portion of the magnetic head includes a second gap insulation layer that includes a first portion that is fabricated upon the electrical leads of the read head and a second portion that is fabricated upon both a sensor portion of the read head and the first portion of the insulation layer. Both the first portion and the second portion of the insulation layer are made up of multi-layered laminations. Each said lamination is fabricated by depositing a thin film of metal, followed by the oxidation of that metallic thin film.

Abstract: A material is deposited on a substrate by depositing a liftoff layer overlying the substrate, thereafter depositing a hard-mask layer overlying the liftoff layer, thereafter depositing an image layer in registry with a retained portion of the hard-mask layer, leaving a nonretained portion of the hard-mask layer which is not in registry with the image layer. The method further includes removing the nonretained portion of the hard-mask layer, removing at least a part of the thickness of the image layer, and removing a nonretained portion of the liftoff layer, which may include an undercut under the hard-mask layer. The deposited material is deposited onto the substrate from a source, and the retained portion of the hard-mask layer and any part of the liftoff layer remaining between the hard-mask layer and the substrate is thereafter removed.

Abstract: A method of forming a read sensor that has a very narrow track width is disclosed. The method involves forming a thin lift-off mask over a central region of a sensor layer, which is subsequently ion-milled and deposited with hard bias and lead layers. The thin lift-off mask is made by forming a release layer over the sensor layer; forming a hardmask layer over the release layer; forming a photoresist layer over the hardmask layer; imaging and developing the photoresist layer such that end portions of the photoresist layer are removed and a central portion of the photoresist layer remains; reactive ion etching (RIE) the hardmask layer such that end portions of the hardmask layer are removed and a central portion of the hardmask layer remains; stripping the central portion of the photoresist layer; and etching the release layer such that end portions of the release layer are removed and a central portion of the release layer remains.

Abstract: A read sensor for a magneto resistive head is formed through the use of a bilayer lift-off mask. According to one embodiment, a release layer is formed on top of a sensor layer. A silicon-containing resist layer is formed over the release layer. The resist layer is patterned according to the desired dimensions of the read sensor. Then, plasma etching, such as oxygen plasma etching, is used to remove the portion of the release layer that is exposed by removal of resist material. The release layer may be etched to undercut the patterned resist layer, or may entirely removed beneath the patterned resist layer to provide a bridge of the resist material. In either case, isotropic plasma etching, anisotropic plasma etching, or some combination thereof may be applied.

Abstract: The hard disk drive of the present invention includes a magnetic head wherein the read head portions have gap insulation layers between the magnetic shields. The gap insulation layers are made up of multilayered laminations of an oxide or nitride of a metal such as aluminum, silicon, chromium, and tantalum. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes laminated G1 and G2 gap insulation layers having 5-10 laminations, and having a total thickness of approximately 50 Å to 500 Å.

Abstract: A material is deposited on a substrate by depositing a liftoff layer overlying the substrate, thereafter depositing a hard-mask layer overlying the liftoff layer, thereafter depositing an image layer in registry with a retained portion of the hard-mask layer, leaving a nonretained portion of the hard-mask layer which is not in registry with the image layer. The method further includes removing the nonretained portion of the hard-mask layer, removing at least a part of the thickness of the image layer, and removing a nonretained portion of the liftoff layer, which may include an undercut under the hard-mask layer. The deposited material is deposited onto the substrate from a source, and the retained portion of the hard-mask layer and any part of the liftoff layer remaining between the hard-mask layer and the substrate is thereafter removed.

Abstract: A method of forming a read sensor that has a very narrow track width is disclosed. The method involves forming a thin lift-off mask over a central region of a sensor layer, which is subsequently ion-milled and deposited with hard bias and lead layers. The thin lift-off mask is made by forming a release layer over the sensor layer; forming a hardmask layer over the release layer; forming a photoresist layer over the hardmask layer; imaging and developing the photoresist layer such that end portions of the photoresist layer are removed and a central portion of the photoresist layer remains; reactive ion etching (RIE) the hardmask layer such that end portions of the hardmask layer are removed and a central portion of the hardmask layer remains; stripping the central portion of the photoresist layer; and etching the release layer such that end portions of the release layer are removed and a central portion of the release layer remains.