Abstract: An ion etch assisted deposition apparatus deposits a thin film upon a substrate having a three dimensional feature, using an ion etching source and deposition source arranged at similar angles relative to the substrate and at an angle ? relative to each other. The angle ? is selected to be substantially equal the supplement of the angle ?? formed between the three dimensional feature on the substrate and the substrate surface. In this configuration the relative flux of energetic etch ions and deposition atoms is adjusted to prevent the growth of poor quality deposited material.

Abstract: An ion etch assisted deposition apparatus deposits a thin film upon a substrate having a three dimensional feature, using an ion etching source and deposition source arranged at similar angles relative to the substrate and at an angle ? relative to each other. The angle ? is selected to be substantially equal the supplement of the angle ?? formed between the three dimensional feature on the substrate and the substrate surface. In this configuration the relative flux of energetic etch ions and deposition atoms is adjusted to prevent the growth of poor quality deposited material.

Abstract: The present invention relates a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. e.g. a planetary system, for forming one or more layers of a coating material on a substrate and for treating, or modifying, the substrate surface, which can include the surface of the substrate or a deposited layer of coating material thereon. The PVD system includes a single vacuum (or process) chamber having an ion source and at least one PVD source of the coating material. The ion source, such as a linear ion source, is configured to emit a beam of energetic particles at a substrate for surface modification of the substrate surface, for example, to provide film densification, etching, cleaning, surface smoothing, and/or oxidation thereof. The PVD source(s) of the coating material deposits one or more layers of coating material(s) on the substrate.

Abstract: An improved planetary sputter deposition method for sputter depositing an alloy on a substrate wherein the sputter deposited amount, or thickness, of a specific material of the alloy can be controlled so that different substrates can be provided with an alloy having a different composition, i.e. having different percentages of the same materials, thus, reducing the costs of stockpiling multiple alloy targets. The method generally includes providing a substrate and a plurality of targets with each of the plurality of targets being composed of one or more magnetic materials. The targets are sputtered, in sequence, to deposit each of the materials of the plurality of targets on the substrate to provide at least one laminate defining an alloy.

Abstract: Method and process for fabricating a device structure for a read head of a mass storage device. A polish stop layer formed of a relatively hard material, such as diamond-like carbon, is positioned between a layer stack and a resist mask used to mask regions of the layer stack during ion milling that removes portions of the layer stack to define a read sensor. The resist mask is removed, after the read sensor is defined, by a planarization process, which eliminates the need to lift-off the resist mask with a conventional chemical-based process. An electrical isolation layer of a material, such as Al2O3, is formed on the masked read sensor. In addition or alternatively, the electrical isolation layer may be formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process performed at an elevated temperature that would otherwise hard bake the resist mask.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for smoothing surfaces on an atomic scale. The invention performs smoothing of surfaces by use of a low energy ion or neutral noble gas beam, which may be formed in an ion source or a remote plasma source. The smoothing process may comprise a post-deposition atomic smoothing step (e.g., an assist smoothing step) in a multilayer fabrication procedure. The invention utilizes combinations of relatively low particle energy (e.g., below the sputter threshold of the material) and near normal incidence angles, which achieve improved smoothing of a surface on an atomic scale with substantially no etching of the surface.

Abstract: This invention is directed to methods for depositing multilayered thin films onto substrates, for example in making thin film magnetic heads. In accordance with the invention a first film, such as Cr, is deposited onto the substrate at a first pressure and a second layer, such as CoCrPt is deposited at a second pressure.

Abstract: This invention is directed to methods for depositing multilayered thin films onto substrates, for example in making thin film magnetic heads. In accordance with the invention a first film, such as Cr, is deposited onto the substrate at a first angle and a second layer, such as CoCrPt is deposited at a second angle.