Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole, a write shield, and first and second nonmagnetic layers. The main pole has a top surface including an inclined surface portion. The inclined surface portion includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being closer to a medium facing surface. The write shield includes an inclined portion facing toward the top surface of the main pole. The first nonmagnetic layer is interposed between the inclined portion and the second portion of the inclined surface portion. The second nonmagnetic layer is interposed between the inclined portion and a combination of the first portion of the inclined surface portion and the first nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a main pole, a waveguide, a plasmon generator, and a heat sink. The heat sink includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and an intermediate layer. The intermediate layer is interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. Each of the first and second metal layers is formed of a metal material. The intermediate layer is formed of a material that is higher in Vickers hardness than the metal material used to form the first metal layer and the metal material used to form the second metal layer.

Abstract: A TAMR head is disclosed wherein a heat sink with a bilayer configuration surrounds the main pole. There is a planar plasmon generator (PPG) with a front peg portion and a larger back portion between a waveguide and a main pole bottom surface. The PPG generates a surface plasmon mode and heats a spot on a magnetic medium during a write process. A first heat sink layer made of Au contacts a back section of the top surface in the PPG back portion to enable efficient dissipation of heat away from the PPG. The second heat sink layer may be Ru and serves as a barrier between the main pole and first heat sink layer to prevent Au migration into magnetic material, and is thermally stable to at least 450° C. to prevent a thermal breakdown of the heat sink material in proximity to the PPG front end.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a magnetic structure incorporating a write shield. The magnetic structure is formed to include a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer stacked on the first magnetic layer, and a seed layer. The first magnetic layer has a front end face located in the medium facing surface and a top surface. The second magnetic layer has a front end face located in the medium facing surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the first magnetic layer includes a first region including an end located in the medium facing surface and a second region farther from the medium facing surface than the first region. The seed layer is not present on the first region of the top surface of the first magnetic layer but is present on the second region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plasmon generator includes the steps of: an initial film made of a metal polycrystal and including a pre-plasmon-generator portion that later becomes the plasmon generator; heating the initial film with heating light so that a plurality of crystal grains constituting the metal polycrystal grow at least in the pre-plasmon-generator portion; stopping the heating of the initial film; and forming the plasmon generator by processing the initial film after the step of stopping the heating. The step of forming the plasmon generator includes the step of providing the pre-plasmon-generator portion with a front end face that generates near-field light.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plasmon generator includes the steps of: forming an etching mask on a dielectric layer; forming an accommodation part by etching the dielectric layer using the etching mask; and forming the plasmon generator to be accommodated in the accommodation part. The step of forming the etching mask includes the steps of: forming a patterned layer on an etching mask material layer, the patterned layer having a first opening that has a sidewall; forming a structure by forming an adhesion film on the sidewall, the structure having a second opening smaller than the first opening; and etching a portion of the etching mask material layer exposed from the second opening.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a magnetic structure incorporating a write shield. The magnetic structure is formed to include a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer stacked on the first magnetic layer, and a seed layer. The first magnetic layer has a front end face located in the medium facing surface and a top surface. The second magnetic layer has a front end face located in the medium facing surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the first magnetic layer includes a first region including an end located in the medium facing surface and a second region farther from the medium facing surface than the first region. The seed layer is not present on the first region of the top surface of the first magnetic layer but is present on the second region.

Abstract: A plasmon generator configured to excite a surface plasmon based on light includes a first portion formed of a first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material different from the first metal material. The plasmon generator has a front end face. The front end face includes a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon. The second portion includes an end face located in the front end face. The second metal material satisfies at least one of the following requirements: a lower ionization tendency than that of the first metal material; a lower electrical conductivity than that of the first metal material; and a higher Vickers hardness than that of the first metal material.

Abstract: In a method of forming a main pole, an initial accommodation layer is etched by RIE using a first etching mask having a first opening, whereby a groove is formed in the initial accommodation layer. Next, a part of the initial accommodation layer including the groove is etched by RIE using a second etching mask having a second opening, so that the groove becomes an accommodation part. The main pole is then formed in the accommodation part. The first etching mask has first and second sidewalls that face the first opening and are opposed to each other at a first distance in a track width direction. The second etching mask has third and fourth sidewalls that face the second opening and are opposed to each other at a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of SiO2 or SiON and has a top surface. The method includes the step of forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched, and the step of taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces that intersect at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The etching mask is formed of a material containing elemental Al. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas that contains a main component gas, which contributes to the etching of the layer to be etched, and N2.

Abstract: A plasmon generator configured to excite a surface plasmon based on light includes a first portion formed of a first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material different from the first metal material. The plasmon generator has a front end face. The front end face includes a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon. The second portion includes an end face located in the front end face. The second metal material satisfies at least one of the following requirements: a lower ionization tendency than that of the first metal material; a lower electrical conductivity than that of the first metal material; and a higher Vickers hardness than that of the first metal material.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole and a return path section located above a top surface of a substrate. The main pole has an end face located in a medium facing surface. The return path section is located on the front side in the direction of travel of a recording medium relative to the main pole and is farther from the top surface of the substrate than is the main pole. The return path section has: a front end face located on the front side of the main pole in the medium facing surface; and an inclined surface located on the front side and connected to the front end face. The inclined surface is not exposed in the medium facing surface. An angle greater than 90° is formed between the front end face and the inclined surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plasmon generator includes the steps of forming an accommodation part and forming the plasmon generator to be accommodated in the accommodation part. The step of forming the accommodation part includes the steps of: forming a dielectric layer having an upper surface; etching the dielectric layer by using an etching mask and thereby forming a groove in the dielectric layer; and forming a dielectric film in the groove. The groove has first and second sidewalls and a bottom. Each of the first and second sidewalls forms an angle in the range of 0° to 15° relative to the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the dielectric layer. The dielectric film includes a first portion interposed between the first sidewall and the first side surface, and a second portion interposed between the second sidewall and the second side surface.

Abstract: A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of SiO2 or SiON and has a top surface. The method includes the step of forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched, and the step of taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces that intersect at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The etching mask is formed of a material containing elemental Al. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas that contains a main component gas, which contributes to the etching of the layer to be etched, and N2.

Abstract: In a method of forming a main pole, an initial accommodation layer is etched by RIE using a first etching mask having a first opening, whereby a groove is formed in the initial accommodation layer. Next, a part of the initial accommodation layer including the groove is etched by RIE using a second etching mask having a second opening, so that the groove becomes an accommodation part. The main pole is then formed in the accommodation part. The first etching mask has first and second sidewalls that face the first opening and are opposed to each other at a first distance in a track width direction. The second etching mask has third and fourth sidewalls that face the second opening and are opposed to each other at a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A magnetic head has a main magnetic pole made of at least a magnetic material and a coil. The main magnetic pole has a stop layer through an inorganic insulating layer on both sides of the main magnetic pole in the widthwise direction. The boundary between the main magnetic pole and the metal layer becomes clear by the intervention of the inorganic insulating layer when viewing the flattened pattern plane by a scanning electron microscope and measuring the width of the main magnetic pole as a core width. The measurement accuracy of the main magnetic pole width can be improved and reductions in manufacturing yield rates which occur due to measurement errors can be prevented.

Abstract: Even when materials with different grinding rates, such as a metal layer and an insulating layer, are present on a substrate, a method of manufacturing can grind the surface of the substrate to form a flat surface and can grind the metal layer to a predetermined thickness without fluctuations.

Abstract: When an insulating layer is patterned by etching, end surfaces of the insulating layer are perpendicularly formed. By doing so, for example, the diameter of a coil of a magnetic head can be reduced and in turn the magnetic head can be miniaturized. A method of manufacturing an interlayer insulating layer that electrically insulates two layers includes a step of forming insulating material layers on a base layer, a step of etching an uppermost insulating material layer out of the laminated insulating material layers into a predetermined pattern, and a step of etching the insulating material layer below the uppermost layer with the uppermost layer that has been etched into the pattern as an etching mask to form the interlayer insulating layer.

Abstract: The thin film magnetic head has stable recording characteristics. The thin film magnetic head of the present invention comprises: lower and upper magnetic poles; an insulating layer formed between the magnetic poles, the insulating layer having a apex part; a coil formed in the insulating layer; and a gap layer formed between the magnetic poles faced each other. The coil is provided in a concave part of the lower magnetic pole. The concave part is filled with a first insulating layer. A high magnetic permeability layer is formed on the lower magnetic pole which faces the upper magnetic pole. The gap layer is formed on the high magnetic permeability layer. A second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer. A third insulating layer is formed on the second insulating layer and has the apex part.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes an upper and a lower magnetic pole layer extending forward from a central magnetic core within a thin film coil. A narrow upper and lower front magnetic pole piece are connected to the front ends of the upper and lower magnetic pole layer, respectively. The upper front magnetic pole piece extends rearward from its front end exposed at a medium-opposed surface. The lower front magnetic pole piece extends in a lateral direction along the medium-opposed surface by a lateral width larger than that of the upper front magnetic pole piece. The lower front magnetic pole piece extends rearward from the medium-opposed surface by a longitudinal length smaller than that of the upper front magnetic pole piece. The lower front magnetic pole piece serves to concentrate the magnetic flux at the front ends of the upper and lower front magnetic pole pieces.