Abstract: Certain alloys of CoFeCu are provided in film and laminate form which have a unique combination of electromagnetic properties which enable them to be used as magnetic thin films in magnetic recording heads, shields and flux guides. The films and laminates thereof are electrodeposited from a plating bath in a DC or pulsed current electrodeposition process.

Abstract: Magnetic thin film structures are disclosed including a laminate of a layer of nonmagnetic material sandwiched between first and second layers of magnetic material and at least one edge closure layer of magnetic material disposed on a side edge of the laminate with the edge closure layer being in magnetic contact with the first and second layers of magnetic material. The edge closure layer eliminates magnetic edge closure domains and magnetic edge-curling walls in the yoke and poletip regions, or in a fluxguide of a magnetic recording head to substantially eliminate Barkhausen noise and wall network instabilities. Multiple layer laminates are also disclosed having a plurality of nonmagnetic layers each of which are sandwiched between layers of magnetic material and wherein the laminate includes edge closure layers that contact all the magnetic layers. Several methods are disclosed for fabricating the laminate.

Abstract: Magnetic thin film structures including a laminate of a layer of nonmagnetic material sandwiched between first and second layers of magnetic material and at least one edge closure layer of magnetic material disposed on a side edge of the laminate with the edge closure layer being in magnetic contact with the first and second layers of magnetic material. The edge closure layer eliminates magnetic edge closure domains and magnetic edge-curling walls in the yoke and poletip regions, or in a fluxguide of a magnetic recording head to substantially eliminate Barkhausen noise and wall network instabilities. Multiple layer laminates are also disclosed having a plurality of nonmagnetic layers each of which are sandwiched between layers of magnetic material and wherein the laminate includes edge closure layers that contact all the magnetic layers. Several methods are disclosed for fabricating the laminate. In one class of technique, the side edges are deposited together with a top layer in a single plating operation.

Abstract: Methods are described for producing a needle probe tip having prescribed magnetic properties for a scanning magnetic force microscope (MFM) on a substrate positioned in an evacuated environment. A substantially rigid, nanometer-scale needle-like structure is produced by selective decomposition of a volatile organic compound by a highly focussed electron beam. Processing steps are described to obtain prescribed magnetic properties of such a needle probe structure; in particular, the fabrication of a single magnetic domain, with hard or soft magnetic properties at the distal end of the needle structure. Three dimensional probe tips are also achieved. These magnetic sensing probes allow magnetic imaging at the nanometer-scale level.

Abstract: A magnetic thin film structure comprising a first layer of magnetic material having a low anisotropy H.sub.k magnetically coupled to a second layer magnetic material having a high anisotropy H.sub.k and a low coercivity. The laminate provides a dual anisotropy behavior such that the laminate exhibits a high initial permeability at relatively small applied fields during the read operation and a high anisotropy at high applied fields during the write operation. The laminate of the present invention reduces inductive head domain instability produced by the write operation while maintaining high reproducing sensitivity during the read operation. Use of the higher H.sub.k material also reduces the sensitivity of the head performance to variation in process-induced stresses.

Abstract: Magnetic thin film structures are disclosed including a laminate of a layer of nonmagnetic material sandwiched between first and second layers of magnetic material and at least one edge closure layer of magnetic material disposed on a side edge of the laminate with the edge closure layer being in magnetic contact with the first and second layers of magnetic material. The edge closure layer eliminates magnetic edge closure domains and magnetic edge-curling walls in the yoke and poletip regions, or in a fluxguide of a magnetic recording head to substantially eliminate Barkhausen noise and wall network instabilities. Multiple layer laminates are also disclosed having a plurality of nonmagnetic layers each of which are sandwiched between layers of magnetic material and wherein the laminate includes edge closure layers that contact all the magnetic layers. Several methods are disclosed for fabricating the laminate.