Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head including the steps of forming a first magnetic layer, a band-shaped insulating layer, a gap layer, a second magnetic layer, a thin film coil, a third magnetic layer wherein the substrate, pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers and gap layer sandwiched by the magnetic layers to form the air bearing surface which is to be opposed to a magnetic record medium is polished.

Abstract: A method of making a magnetic head assembly wherein the magnetic head assembly has a write head with a pole tip includes the steps of forming a shaping layer on an underlying layer wherein the shaping layer has a side surface and a top surface, ion beam sputter depositing a ferromagnetic material layer on the underlying layer and on the side and top surfaces of the shaping layer and removing first and second portions of the ferromagnetic material layer from the underlying layer and the top surface of the shaping layer, respectively, leaving a remaining portion of the ferromagnetic material layer on the side surface of the shaping layer which is the aforementioned pole tip.

Abstract: A method of making a multifilm structure is provided for a pinned layer structure of a spin valve sensor for increasing the magnetoresistive coefficient (dr/R) of the sensor and/or decreasing a ferromagnetic coupling field (HF) between the pinned layer structure and the free layer of the sensor. The multifilm structure for the pinned layer in one or both AP layers of an AP pinned layer structure or a single pinned layer structure includes a nickel iron (NiFe) middle layer which is located between a cobalt (Co) first film and a cobalt (Co) second film.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head allowing high performance head characteristics to be achieved without complicating manufacturing steps. At the same time an insulating film pattern defining a throat height TH is formed, an insulating film pattern is formed. When a thin film coil is formed, a coil connection portion integral with the thin film coil is simultaneously formed on the insulating film pattern, so that an upper surface of the coil connection portion is positioned higher than that of thin film coil. After covering the entire surface with an insulating film, a surface of the insulating film is polished until both of an upper connection portion and the coil connection portion are exposed, so that only the coil connection portion can be exposed while the thin film coil remains unexposed.

Abstract: A process of forming a combination-type thin film magnetic head on a wafer is disclosed wherein plural polished amount-monitoring elements are formed at the same time as formation of the members which constitute the inductive-type thin film magnetic head. The plural polished amount-monitoring elements each have a different distance from the inside edge opposite to he air bearing surface of the joined surface between a pair of electrode members to the standard position of the zero-throat height. After the magneto-resistive-effective-type thin film magnetic head is formed, the wafer is cut into plural bars, each having plural arranged combination type thin film magnetic head units.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film magnetic head, including forming a first magnetic layer, forming a second magnetic layer as a magnetic flux passage in combination with the first magnetic layer, and forming a laminate structure body between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The forming of the laminate structure body includes forming a third magnetic layer, a fourth magnetic layer and a non-magnetic conductive layer between the third magnetic layer and the fourth magnetic layer, projecting the laminate structure body more toward an air bearing surface than a projection of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer toward the air bearing surface, and providing the laminate structure body with a width which is smaller than a width of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.

Abstract: A batch fabrication technique is described that increases the manufacturing efficiency of servo write heads and also improves servo pattern definition for fine features, while reducing tape and head wear. Multiple heads are fabricated as a batch from one or more ferrite wafers. A nominally flat, large wafer surface and a contour suitable for uniform photoresist application and planar photolithography permit fine servo pattern definition. A rounded leading edge on the head creates an air bearing to reduce wear of the tape and of the head. Moreover, any head wear occurs at the leading edge rather than in the region of the head where the servo pattern is formed. The servo write head may have a substantially planar head surface. A leading edge is disposed adjacent to the head surface such that the tape contacts the leading edge before passing over the head surface. The leading edge is rounded to form an air bearing between the head surface and the tape.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head and a method of manufacturing the same of the invention achieve precise control of a magnetic pole width with and a sufficient overwrite property even when the pole width is reduced and achieve precise control of a throat height. In the thin-film magnetic head of the invention, a pole portion of a bottom pole layer and an insulating layer are formed on a yoke portion of the bottom pole layer. The throat height is defined by the interface between the pole portion and the insulating layer. The pole portion and the insulating layer form a flat surface on a side of a recording gap layer. A top pole layer includes: a pole portion having a width that defines a recording track width; and a yoke portion having a width greater than that of the pole portion and magnetically coupled to the pole portion. The interface between the pole portion and the yoke portion is located on the flat recording gap layer.

Abstract: The invention allows a thin-film magnetic head that meets specifications required by the customer to be provided in a short period of time and manufacturing costs to be reduced.

Abstract: The electroplated components of a magnetic head of the present invention are fabricated utilizing a seed layer that is susceptible to reactive ion etch removal techniques. A preferred seed layer is comprised of tungsten or titanium and it is fabricated in a sputter deposition process. The seed layer is electrically conductive and the electroplated components, such as induction coil members and magnetic poles, are effectively electroplated into photolithographically created photoresist trenches that are fabricated upon the seed layer. Following the electroplating of the components, the photoresist layer is removed utilizing a standard wet chemical process to expose the seed layer. Next, utilizing a fluorine species reactive ion etch process the seed layer is removed, and significantly, the fluorine RIE process creates a gaseous tungsten or titanium fluoride compound removal product.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer having an inverted trapezoidal cross-section at the face opposing a recording medium. The main magnetic pole layer is formed by plating in a groove which is formed in a resist layer. The width of the resist layer in the track width direction gradually increases from the bottom to the top of the resist layer. This tapered groove is formed by annealing a nontapered groove or controlling the patterning precision of the resist layer. The inverted trapezoidal main magnetic pole layer prevents side fringing when the perpendicular magnetic recording head has a skew angle.

Abstract: The side edge of the main magnetic pole layer is prevented from protruding in the track width direction even when a skew angle is generated by forming the main magnetic pole layer of the opposing face opposing the recording medium as an inverted trapezoid, thereby enabling the occurrence of side fringing to be prevented.

Abstract: The step of forming a second magnetic layer of a thin-film magnetic head includes the steps of: forming a pole portion layer; forming a protective layer so as to cover a part of the pole portion layer located near the medium facing surface ABS; forming an electrode layer to be used as an electrode when forming a yoke portion layer by electroplating; forming the yoke portion layer by electroplating on the electrode layer using the electrode layer as an electrode; and removing an unnecessary portion of the electrode layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a structure in which the coil center of a first coil layer is formed on a planarized surface, a first contact portion is formed by plating on the coil center, and the coil center of a second coil layer is conductively connected to the upper surface of the first contact portion. This structure can exhibit a stable DC resistance value and good conductivity.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises a read head and a write head. The write head incorporates: a bottom pole layer and a top pole layer (made up of a pole portion layer, a magnetic layer and a yoke portion layer); a write gap layer located between pole portions of these two pole layers; and a thin-film coil at least a part of which is located between the two pole layers and insulated therefrom. The thin-film coil includes a first layer and a second layer between which the write gap layer is located. One of ends of the first layer is connected to one of ends of the second layer. The other of the ends of the first layer is connected to the other of the ends of the second layer, too.

Abstract: The invention allows a thin-film magnetic head that meets specifications required by the customer to be provided in a short period of time and manufacturing costs to be reduced. A slider of a magnetic head of the invention comprises two thin-film magnetic head element portions formed near an end face orthogonal to the direction of air flow. On the end face four pad-shaped electrodes are provided for electrically connecting the two head element portions to an external device. The electrodes are selectively connected to one of the head element portions through four conductors.

Abstract: Magnetic head for use in magnetic recording and including an integrated coil having at least one winding around a non-embedded part of the magnetic circuit. The winding includes a lower sheet of conductors placed in a chamber etched in the substrate and which is integrated into this substrate. The magnetic head is manufactured in a process including forming on a solid substrate a magnetic circuit with a first and second polar part having embedded portions positioned side by side and separated by a nonmagnetic air gap. The magnetic circuit includes at least one non-embedded bridging part no portion of which is embedded in the substrate. A conductor coil is formed around the non-embedded part of the circuit by making a lower sheet of conductors passing underneath the non-embedded bridging part and by embedding the lower sheet in at least one chamber made in the substrate, and by making an upper sheet of conductors astride the non-embedded bridging part of the magnetic circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a magnetic head whose reproduction waveform has small distortions.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide thin-film magnetic heads that meet specifications required by the customer in a short time and to improve yields of thin-film magnetic heads. In a thin-film magnetic head sub-structure of the invention, a bottom shield layer and a first portion of a top shield layer are placed in one plane, being insulated from each other. Portions of conductive layers to be connected to an MR element are placed in grooves formed between the bottom shield layer and the first portion of the top shield layer, being insulated by an insulating film from the bottom shield layer and the first portion. A thin-film coil is placed on a first portion of the top shield layer, an insulating layer being placed between the coil and the first portion. A thin-film magnetic head is completed by adding the MR element, a second portion of the top shield layer placed on top of the MR element, a recording gap layer, a top pole layer and so on.

Abstract: A batch fabrication technique is described that increases the manufacturing efficiency of servo write heads and also improves servo pattern definition for fine features, while reducing tape and head wear. Multiple heads are fabricated as a batch from one or more ferrite wafers. A nominally flat, large wafer surface and a contour suitable for uniform photoresist application and planar photolithography permit fine servo pattern definition. A rounded leading edge on the head creates an air bearing to reduce wear of the tape and of the head. Moreover, any head wear occurs at the leading edge rather than in the region of the head where the servo pattern is formed. The servo write head may have a substantially planar head surface. A leading edge is disposed adjacent to the head surface such that the tape contacts the leading edge before passing over the head surface. The leading edge is rounded to form an air bearing between the head surface and the tape.