Abstract: A thin film magnetic write head is provided wherein the write head has a pole tip region between a planar air bearing surface (ABS) and a zero throat level and a back region which extends back from the zero throat level to and including a back gap. The write head has a yoke which includes top and bottom magnetic poles. Each pole has a pole tip structure in the pole tip region and a back portion in the back region. The pole tip structure of the bottom pole has bottom and top pole tip elements PT1a and PT1b and the pole tip structure of the top pole has a top and bottom pole tip elements PT2a and PT2b. The pole tip elements PT1b and PT2b are located between the pole tip elements PT1a and PT2a and a gap layer G is located between the pole tip elements PT1b and PT2b. Each of the pole tip elements PT1b and PT2b and the gap layer G are bounded by front and back walls and first and second sidewalls.

Abstract: A merged MR head is provided which has vertically aligned sidewalls so as to minimize side-fringing and improve off-track performance. The bottom pole piece P1, which comprises the second shield layer S2 of the read head, has a pedestal pole tip with a short length dimension. A pedestal pole tip with a length as short as two times the length of the gap layer G optimally minimizes the sidewriting and improves off-track performance. The bottom pole tip structure of the write head is constructed by ion beam milling using the top pole tip structure as a mask. The ion beam milling is directed at an angle to the sidewalls of the top pole tip structure which causes the bottom pole tip structure to be milled with sidewalls which align with the top pole tip structure.

Abstract: A process for producing a planar thin film magnetic head wherein a sacrificial layer is introduced to provide control of the gap planarization procedure. Unbounded planar layers of lower pole-tip material and nonmagnetic gap material are first deposited and covered with a sacrificial layer that may be selectively removed by solvent. A critical layer island is then formed by etching the excess, thereby ensuring ideal planar characteristics at the edges of the critical gap layer. Following island formation, the entire assembly is covered with a nonmagnetic insulating layer and lapped or etched smooth. This planarization process is adjusted to end in the sacrificial layer. The remaining sacrificial layer material is then removed by solvent, a step that not only ensures the integrity of the underlying critical gap and pole layers but also creates the upper step needed for staggered pole-tip and conformal pole-tip head configurations.

Abstract: A soft magnetic film includes a laminated structure having an alternating plurality of first magnetic and second magnetic film. The first magnetic films is of a predetermined thickness range and is made of a magnetic alloy of nickel, iron and nitrogen with the nitrogen present from greater than zero to 20 atomic percent. The second magnetic film is of a predetermined thickness range and is made of a magnetic alloy of iron and nitrogen with the nitrogen present from greater than zero to about 20 atomic percent. The films can be annealed in an applied magnetic field. The multilayer films have application as pole pieces and shields in magnetic heads. The magnetic heads are for use in dynamic storage systems including disk and tape media.