Abstract: A magnetic head is provided which has first and second notches in a first pole piece layer adjacent first and second corners at the base of a gap layer wherein the gap layer does not undercut a base of a second pole tip. Field regions of the first pole piece layer which extend from the first and second notches slope upwardly from the notches for protecting components below the first pole piece layer. In one aspect of the invention a method of defining the gap layer sputter deposition and ion milling steps are employed to form a protective layer on first and second side walls of the second pole tip so that unwanted portions of the gap layer can be removed without undercutting the gap layer below the base of the second pole tip.

Abstract: A magnetic head is provided which has first and second notches in a first pole piece layer adjacent first and second corners at the base of a gap layer wherein the gap layer does not undercut a base of a second pole tip. Field regions of the first pole piece layer which extend from the first and second notches slope upwardly from the notches for protecting components below the first pole piece layer. In one aspect of the invention a method of defining the gap layer sputter deposition and ion milling steps are employed to form a protective layer on first and second side walls of the second pole tip so that unwanted portions of the gap layer can be removed without undercutting the gap layer below the base of the second pole tip.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for making a milling mask for milling notches in a first pole piece of a write head. The making of the milling mask involves two process steps, namely: (1) sputter depositing a layer of protective material on the top and side walls of a second pole tip and on flat portions of the first pole piece and (2) chemically etching the protective layer to remove the side wall portions of the protective layer leaving flat portions of the protective layer which constitute the milling mask. The etch rate of the side wall portions of the protective layer, as compared to the flat portions of the protective layer, are significantly increased by sputter depositing the protective layer in the presence of a reactive gas such as oxygen or nitrogen. The etch rate can be increased from 7:1 for a nonreactive gas such as argon to 24:1 with an argon and reactive gas mixture at a sputtering pressure of 18 mT.

Abstract: A magnetic head is provided which has first and second notches in a first pole piece layer adjacent first and second corners at the base of a gap layer wherein the gap layer does not undercut a base of a second pole tip. Field regions of the first pole piece layer which extend from the first and second notches slope upwardly from the notches for protecting components below the first pole piece layer. In one aspect of the invention a method of defining the gap layer sputter deposition and ion milling steps are employed to form a protective layer on first and second side walls of the second pole tip so that unwanted portions of the gap layer can be removed without undercutting the gap layer below the base of the second pole tip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a target for a ferromagnetic sputtering apparatus formed of a single piece of ferromagnetic target material. The target has a circular central area, an annular outer area, and a plurality of interconnected slots of specified width in the single piece extending in circumferential directions about the central area, forming a plurality of specified width radial gaps between the circular central area and the annular outer area. The slots of the sputtering target may be arranged to provide tabs crossing the slots to provide structural support to the specified width slots.

Abstract: A layered magnetic structure with a seed layer on a substrate and a bulk layer on the seed layer. The seed layer is a gas-doped sendust layer with a thickness of 100-800 .ANG.. The bulk layer is sendust with a thickness of 0.3-10.0 .mu.m. The seed layer and the bulk layer have different weight compositions.