Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device or a semiconductor wafer using a chucking unit is provided to remove a slurry that adheres to the back surface of the semiconductor wafer. An edge portion of a semiconductor wafer is polished while a back surface of the semiconductor wafer is chucked to a chucking unit of a first polishing unit. The polished semiconductor wafer is then dechucked from the chucking unit of the first polishing unit. Next, a gap is formed above the chucking unit of the second polishing unit, and the semiconductor wafer is disposed therein. Water is discharged from the chucking unit of the second polishing unit to clean the back surface of the semiconductor wafer W. Thereafter, the back surface of the semiconductor wafer is chucked to the chucking unit of the second polishing unit, and the semiconductor wafer is polished.

Abstract: A magnetic head comprises: an encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a groove that opens in the top surface; a nonmagnetic metal layer made of a nonmagnetic metal material, disposed on the top surface of the encasing layer, and having a penetrating opening that is contiguous to the groove; and a pole layer made of a magnetic metal material and encased in the groove of the encasing layer and in the opening of the nonmagnetic metal layer. The pole layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface, the end face having a first portion and a second portion that is located farther from a substrate than the first portion and connected to the first portion. The first portion has a width that decreases as the distance from the substrate decreases. The second portion has a uniform width that defines the track width. In the medium facing surface, the nonmagnetic metal layer exists on both sides of the second portion, the sides being opposed to each other in the direction of track width.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes: a pole layer; a pole-layer-encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a top surface and a groove that opens at the top surface; and a nonmagnetic layer that is made of a nonmagnetic metal material, disposed in the groove and forms a pole-layer-encasing section that accommodates the pole layer. A method of manufacturing the magnetic head includes the steps of: forming the pole-layer-encasing layer; forming an initial nonmagnetic layer in the groove of the pole-layer-encasing layer by physical vapor deposition, the initial nonmagnetic layer being intended to become the nonmagnetic layer later by undergoing etching of a surface thereof, etching the surface of the initial nonmagnetic layer by dry etching so that the initial nonmagnetic layer becomes the nonmagnetic layer; and forming the pole layer in the pole-layer-encasing section formed by the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head is disclosed. The steps of manufacture include the formation of an underlying layer made of a material whose etching rate of ion beam etching is higher than that of a magnetic alloy used to make a pole layer, and the formation of a magnetic layer, which includes a portion of the magnetic layer to be etched that will be formed into a track width defining portion by making its side surfaces sloped through etching. The magnetic layer is formed such that the portion to be etched is disposed on the underlying layer. The side surfaces of the portion to be etched by the ion beam etching are etched so that the magnetic layer is formed into the pole layer and so that the end face of the track width defining portion located in the medium facing surface has a width that decreases with decreasing distance from the substrate.

Abstract: A magnetic head comprises a pole layer, a shield layer, a gap layer disposed between the pole layer and the shield layer, and a coil. The shield layer incorporates a first layer, a second layer, a third layer and a fourth layer that are disposed on the gap layer one by one. The first layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface. The second layer has: a first surface located in the medium facing surface; a second surface touching the first layer; and a third surface opposite to the second surface. The third layer touches the third surface of the second layer. An end face of each of the third and fourth layers closer to the medium facing surface is located at a distance from the medium facing surface.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head comprising forming a first coil, a first pole piece and a first back gap piece on a first insulating film formed on a surface of a first magnetic film, so that the first coil, the first pole piece and the first back gap piece have a taper angle making a sectional shape wider in a lower part and narrower in an upper part; forming a second insulating film on surfaces of the first coil, the first pole piece and the first back gap piece; forming a first seed film on the second insulating film; growing a first plating film for a second coil on the first seed film in an area where the second coil is to be formed, so that the first plating film fills up spaces between the first pole piece and an outermost coil turn of the first coil, between coil turns of the first coil, and between an innermost coil turn of the first coil and the first back gap piece; and flattening the first plating film by polishing, so that to obtain a pattern of t

Abstract: A magnetic head comprises a pole layer, a shield layer, a gap layer disposed between the pole layer and the shield layer, and a coil. The shield layer incorporates: a first layer disposed on the gap layer; a second layer disposed on the first layer; and a third layer disposed on the second layer. The first layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface. An end face of each of the second and third layers closer to the medium facing surface is located at a distance from the medium facing surface. A first nonmagnetic layer is disposed around the first layer. A second nonmagnetic layer is disposed between the medium facing surface and the end face of the second layer closer to the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a pole layer and a shield. The shield includes a shield layer having a front end face located in the medium facing surface at a position forward of an end face of the pole layer along a direction of travel of the recording medium. The magnetic head further includes a stopper layer for suppressing protrusion of the front end face of the shield layer, the stopper layer being disposed adjacent to the shield layer and made of a nonmagnetic material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 5×10?6/° C. or smaller at a temperature of 25° C. to 100° C.

Abstract: A pole layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface, allows a magnetic flux corresponding to a magnetic field generated by a coil to pass therethrough, and generates a write magnetic field. A shield includes a first layer having an end face located in the medium facing surface at a position forward of the end face of the pole layer along a direction of travel of a recording medium, and a second layer disposed between at least part of the coil and the medium facing surface and magnetically connected to the first layer. The second layer has an end face closer to the medium facing surface, and this end face is located at a distance from the medium facing surface. A nonmagnetic layer made of an inorganic insulating material is provided between the end face of the second layer and the medium facing surface, and a photoresist layer is provided between the end face of the second layer and the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic head is disclosed. The steps of manufacture include the formation of an underlying layer made of a material whose etching rate of ion beam etching is higher than that of a magnetic alloy used to make a pole layer, and the formation of a magnetic layer, which includes a portion of the magnetic layer to be etched that will be formed into a track width defining portion by making its side surfaces sloped through etching. The magnetic layer is formed such that the portion to be etched is disposed on the underlying layer. The side surfaces of the portion to be etched by the ion beam etching are etched so that the magnetic layer is formed into the pole layer and so that the end face of the track width defining portion located in the medium facing surface has a width that decreases with decreasing distance from the substrate.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes an encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a groove that opens in the top surface; a nonmagnetic metal layer made of a nonmagnetic metal material, disposed on the top surface of the encasing layer, and having a penetrating opening that is contiguous to the groove; and a pole layer made of a magnetic metal material and encased in the groove of the encasing layer and in the opening of the nonmagnetic metal layer. The pole layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface, the end face having a first portion and a second portion that is located farther from a substrate than the first portion and connected to the first portion. The first portion has a width that decreases as the distance from the substrate decreases. The second portion has a uniform width that defines the track width. In the medium facing surface, the nonmagnetic metal layer exists on both sides of the second portion, the sides being opposed to each other in the direction of track width.

Abstract: A magnetic head comprises a pole layer, a shield layer, a gap layer disposed between the pole layer and the shield layer, and a coil. The shield layer incorporates: a first layer disposed on the gap layer; a second layer disposed on the first layer; and a third layer disposed on the second layer. The first layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface. An end face of each of the second and third layers closer to the medium facing surface is located at a distance from the medium facing surface. A first nonmagnetic layer is disposed around the first layer. A second nonmagnetic layer is disposed between the medium facing surface and the end face of the second layer closer to the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A top surface of a pole layer of a magnetic head includes: a first portion having a first edge located in a medium facing surface and a second edge opposite thereto; and a second portion located farther from the medium facing surface than the first portion and connected to the first portion at the second edge. The distance from a substrate to an arbitrary point on the first portion increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point. The angle of inclination of the first portion taken at the arbitrary point with respect to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface increases stepwise or continuously with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point. The angle of inclination taken at the first edge is greater than zero degree. The second portion extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head has a configuration in which a main magnetic pole film having a magnetic pole end portion on a medium opposing surface (ABS) side facing a magnetic disk, a write shield film facing the magnetic pole end portion so as to form a recording gap film on the medium opposing surface side, and a thin film coil wound around at least a part of the write shield film are laminated. Further, the thin film magnetic head has an upper yoke magnetic pole film whose size is larger than that of the main magnetic pole film at a part more distant from the ABS than the recording gap film, and this upper yoke magnetic pole film is bonded to the side of the main magnetic pole film close to the thin film coil. In the upper yoke magnetic pole film, an end portion on the ABS side is retracted in a direction apart from the ABS in accordance with an increase in film thickness which is measured from the surface of the main magnetic pole film.

Abstract: An encasing section that accommodates a pole layer includes an encasing layer having an encasing groove, and a nonmagnetic film disposed in the encasing groove at a position between the encasing layer and the pole layer. The pole layer includes a track width defining portion and a wide portion. The distance from a medium facing surface to the boundary between the track width defining portion and the wide portion is within a range of 10 to 300 nm. The track width defining portion has a first side surface and a second side surface, while the wide portion has a third side surface contiguous to the first side surface, and a fourth side surface contiguous to the second side surface. The encasing layer has a first wall surface and a second wall surface that form the encasing groove.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes: a pole layer; a nonmagnetic layer disposed on part of the top surface of the pole layer; a gap layer disposed on the pole layer and the nonmagnetic layer; and a shield disposed on the gap layer. The top surface of the pole layer includes: a first portion having a first edge located in a medium facing surface and a second edge opposite thereto; and a second portion located farther from the medium facing surface than the first portion and connected to the first portion at the second edge. The first portion is inclined with respect to a direction orthogonal to the medium facing surface so that the distance from a substrate increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface. The nonmagnetic layer has a bottom surface touching the second portion, and this bottom surface has an edge located at the second edge.

Abstract: A pole layer has an end located in a medium facing surface, the end having: a first side close to a substrate; a second side located opposite to the first side; a third side connecting an end of the first side to an end of the second side; and a fourth side connecting the other end of the first side to the other end of the second side. The second side defines a track width. The end of the pole layer located in the medium facing surface has a width that decreases toward the first side. The pole layer is disposed in a groove of a pole-layer-encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic insulating material, with a nonmagnetic conductive film provided between the encasing layer and the pole layer. The pole layer incorporates: a first layer located closer to the surface of the groove; and a second layer located farther from the surface of the groove.

Abstract: A magnetic head comprises a pole layer and first and second coils located in regions sandwiching the pole layer. Each of the two coils is flat-whorl-shaped. The first coil incorporates an inner connecting portion and an outer connecting portion opposite to the inner connecting portion. The second coil also incorporates an inner connecting portion and an outer connecting portion opposite to the inner connecting portion. The inner connecting portion of the first coil is electrically connected to the inner connecting portion of the second coil. The outer connecting portion of the first coil is electrically connected to the outer connecting portion of the second coil, too. In such a manner the two coils are electrically connected to each other in parallel.

Abstract: A pole layer has an end located in a medium facing surface, the end having: a first side close to a substrate; a second side located opposite to the first side; a third side connecting an end of the first side to an end of the second side; and a fourth side connecting the other end of the first side to the other end of the second side. The second side defines a track width. The end of the pole layer located in the medium facing surface has a width that decreases toward the first side. The pole layer is disposed in a groove of a pole-layer-encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic insulating material, with a nonmagnetic conductive film provided between the encasing layer and the pole layer. The pole layer incorporates: a first layer located closer to the surface of the groove; and a second layer located farther from the surface of the groove.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head has a configuration in which a main magnetic pole film having a magnetic pole end portion on a medium opposing surface (ABS) side facing a magnetic disk, a write shield film facing the magnetic pole end portion so as to form a recording gap film on the medium opposing surface side, and a thin film coil wound around at least a part of the write shield film are laminated. Further, the thin film magnetic head has an upper yoke magnetic pole film whose size is larger than that of the main magnetic pole film at a part more distant from the ABS than the recording gap film, and this upper yoke magnetic pole film is bonded to the side of the main magnetic pole film close to the thin film coil. In the upper yoke magnetic pole film, an end portion on the ABS side is retracted in a direction apart from the ABS in accordance with an increase in film thickness which is measured from the surface of the main magnetic pole film.