Abstract: A horizontal combined head is provided which has both a thin film write and an MR read element located at an air bearing surface (ABS). The read element can be formed with a track width that is independent of the track width of the write element. The MR sensor or the read element is separated from one of the first and second pole pieces of the write element by an insulation layer. Accordingly, the shields for the read element remain more stable after a write operation. In one embodiment of the present invention a single stripe MR sensor is employed while in a second embodiment a dual stripe MR sensor is employed. A method of the invention includes forming the dual MR stripe in a single process step so that the dual MR stripes of the dual MR sensor are near identical for implementing near absolute common mode rejection of noise.

Abstract: A horizontal combined head is provided which has both a thin film write and an MR read element located at an air bearing surface (ABS). The read element can be formed with a track width that is independent of the track width of the write element. The MR sensor or the read element is separated from one of the first and second pole pieces of the write element by an insulation layer. Accordingly, the shields for the read element remain more stable after a write operation. In one embodiment of the present invention a single stripe MR sensor is employed while in a second embodiment a dual stripe MR sensor is employed. A method of the invention includes forming the dual MR stripe in a single process step so that the dual MR stripes of the dual MR sensor are near identical for implementing near absolute common mode rejection of noise.

Abstract: A horizontal combined head is provided which has both a thin film write and an MR read element located at an air bearing surface (ABS). The read element can be formed with a track width that is independent of the track width of the write element. The MR sensor or the read element is separated from one of the first and second pole pieces of the write element by an insulation layer. Accordingly, the shields for the read element remain more stable after a write operation. In one embodiment of the present invention a single stripe MR sensor is employed while in a second embodiment a dual stripe MR sensor is employed. A method of the invention includes forming the dual MR stripe in a single process step so that the dual MR stripes of the dual MR sensor are near identical for implementing near absolute common mode rejection of noise.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive read/inductive write magnetic head assembly formed on a hard electrically insulating substrate and having electrostatic discharge protection comprises: a hard electrically insulating substrate, preferably formed of sapphire or alumina-TiC; multiple alumina layers formed over the substrate; a magnetoresistive read/inductive write head positioned between the alumina layers; a silicon layer supported by the substrate; and a semiconducting circuit integrated into the silicon layer and interconnected with said magnetoresistive read/write inductive write head to provide electrostatic discharge protection to the head. The silicon layer may be epitaxially grown on the substrate when implemented as sapphire, or bonded to the substrate when implemented as alumina-TiC. The hard electrically insulating substrate and alumina layers provide the assembly with a hard air bearing surface having generally uniform lapping and etching characteristics, and excellent durability.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive (M-R) head has a read element with a servo sensing width as wide as a data track width and a data sensing width of less than one data track width. The two read sensing widths are achieved by using a single read element having a center electrical contact from the M-R read element that effectively reduces the sensing width of the read element. In a first embodiment, the servo sensing width comprises a first portion of the read element and the data sensing width comprises a second, smaller portion of the read element. In a second embodiment, the servo sensing width comprises the entire read element width and the data sensing width comprises a portion thereof. In yet another embodiment, abutting read elements are constructed to enable separate optimization of each sensing width. The wide servo sensing width permits use of a wide servo pattern having servo bursts as wide as a data track width.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive read/inductive write magnetic head assembly formed on a hard electrically insulating substrate and having electrostatic discharge protection comprises: a hard electrically insulating substrate, preferably formed of sapphire or alumina-TiC; multiple alumina layers formed over the substrate; a magnetoresistive read/inductive write head positioned between the alumina layers; a silicon layer supported by the substrate; and a semiconducting circuit integrated into the silicon layer and interconnected with said magnetoresistive read/write inductive write head to provide electrostatic discharge protection to the head. The silicon layer may be epitaxially grown on the substrate when implemented as sapphire, or bonded to the substrate when implemented as alumina-TiC. The hard electrically insulating substrate and alumina layers provide the assembly with a hard air bearing surface having generally uniform lapping and etching characteristics, and excellent durability.

Abstract: The back end of an MR sensor and a flux guide are joined by a contiguous self-aligned junction so that a predictable overlap of the flux guide on the back end of the MR sensor can be achieved for optimizing signal flux density in the MR sensor. Lead/longitudinal bias layers for the MR sensor are also joined by a contiguous selfaligned junction to the flux guide for stabilizing the flux guide. By employing a single lift off resist mask the MR sensor and the lead/longitudinal bias layers can be patterned followed by deposition of the flux guide. The flux guide is a bilayer of an insulation material layer and a flux guide material layer. The insulation material layer is sandwiched between the MR sensor and the flux guide material layer and between the lead/longitudinal bias layers and the flux guide material layer. A heat guide or combined flux guide and heat guide may be substituted for the aforementioned flux guide.

Abstract: The back end of an MR sensor and a flux guide are joined by a contiguous self-aligned junction so that a predictable overlap of the flux guide on the back end of the MR sensor can be achieved for optimizing signal flux density in the MR sensor. Lead/longitudinal bias layers for the MR sensor are also joined by a contiguous self-aligned junction to the flux guide for stabilizing the flux guide. By employing a single lift off resist mask the MR sensor and the lead/longitudinal bias layers can be patterned followed by deposition of the flux guide. The flux guide is a bilayer of an insulation material layer and a flux guide material layer. The insulation material layer is sandwiched between the MR sensor and the flux guide material layer and between the lead/longitudinal bias layers and the flux guide material layer. A heat guide or combined flux guide and heat guide may be substituted for the aforementioned flux guide.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate having first and second magnetic layers disposed above the substrate and formed as a laminated sequence of magnetic sub-layers. The first and second magnetic layers have corresponding first ends representing a pole tip region of the head, corresponding second ends representing a back gap region of the head, and corresponding intermediate portions representing an intermediate region of the head between the pole tip region and the back gap region. The first and second magnetic layers are joined together in physical contact at the back gap region and are spaced from one another at the pole tip region and at the intermediate region. A nonmagnetic gap layer is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers at the pole tip region. A magnetic coil structure is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers at the intermediate region.

Abstract: An inductive write head has a pole tip region between an air bearing surface (ABS) and a flare point, and a yoke region located between the flare point and a back gap. The write head includes first and second pole piece layers, wherein the second pole piece layer has first and second components. The first component extends from an ABS end, which is located at the ABS, to a recessed end which is located in the yoke region. The second component extends from a recessed end, which is spaced from the ABS, to the back gap. The second component interfaces with the first component in a stitched region so that the first component defines a pole tip in the pole tip region and the second component defines a yoke in the yoke region. A first insulation layer extends from a recessed end, which is spaced from the ABS, into the yoke region. The recessed end of the first insulation layer defines a zero throat height. The first component is sandwiched between the first insulation layer and the second component.

Abstract: The back end of an MR sensor and a flux guide are joined by a contiguous self-aligned junction so that a predictable overlap of the flux guide on the back end of the MR sensor can be achieved for optimizing signal flux density in the MR sensor. Lead/longitudinal bias layers for the MR sensor are also joined by a contiguous self-aligned junction to the flux guide for stabilizing the flux guide. By employing a single lift off resist mask the MR sensor and the lead/longitudinal bias layers can be patterned followed by deposition of the flux guide. The flux guide is a bilayer of an insulation material layer and a flux guide material layer. The insulation material layer is sandwiched between the MR sensor and the flux guide material layer and between the lead/longitudinal bias layers and the flux guide material layer. A heat guide or combined flux guide and heat guide may be substituted for the aforementioned flux guide.

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing is provided for making an improved merged MR head. The method employs a photoresist mask with appropriately-sized openings for simultaneously etching numerous vias to various depths over a set time period. After formation of the vias, a single photoresist mask is employed to pattern in one step gap layers G3, G2, G1 and a first shield layer S1 to the desired lateral configuration for the merged MR head. Subsequent to patterning these thin film layers, double insulation layers I2 and I3 are individually soft baked on top of the coil structure of the head followed by patterning of the layers I2/I3 by a single photoresist mask. These layers are then hard baked to retain the desired smooth configuration of the layers. The improved merged MR head has a smooth configuration to its top pole piece P2 because of the smooth configuration of the I2/I3 layer so that flux leakage and saturation problems are minimized.

Abstract: The back end of an MR sensor and a flux guide are joined by a contiguous self-aligned junction so that a predictable overlap of the flux guide on the back end of the MR sensor can be achieved for optimizing signal flux density in the MR sensor. Lead/longitudinal bias layers for the MR sensor are also joined by a contiguous self-aligned junction to the flux guide for stabilizing the flux guide. By employing a single lift off resist mask the MR sensor and the lead/longitudinal bias layers can be patterned followed by deposition of the flux guide. The flux guide is a bilayer of an insulation material layer and a flux guide material layer. The insulation material layer is sandwiched between the MR sensor and the flux guide material layer and between the lead/longitudinal bias layers and the flux guide material layer. A heat guide or combined flux guide and heat guide may be substituted for the aforementioned flux guide.

Abstract: An inductive write head has a pole tip region between an air bearing surface (ABS) and a flare point, and a yoke region located between the flare point and a back gap. The write head includes first and second pole piece layers, wherein the second pole piece layer has first and second components. The first component extends from an ABS end, which is located at the ABS, to a recessed end which is located in the yoke region. The second component extends from a recessed end, which is spaced from the ABS, to the back gap. The second component interfaces with the first component in a stitched region so that the first component defines a pole tip in the pole tip region and the second component defines a yoke in the yoke region. A first insulation layer extends from a recessed end, which is spaced from the ABS, into the yoke region. The recessed end of the first insulation layer defines a zero throat height. The first component is sandwiched between the first insulation layer and the second component.

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing is provided for making an improved merged MR head. The method employs a photoresist mask with appropriately-sized openings for simultaneously etching numerous vias to various depths over a set time period. After formation of the vias, a single photoresist mask is employed to pattern in one step gap layers G3, G2, G1 and a first shield layer S1 to the desired lateral configuration for the merged MR head. Subsequent to patterning these thin film layers, double insulation layers I2 and I3 are individually soft baked on top of the coil structure of the head followed by patterning of the layers I2/I3 by a single photoresist mask. These layers are then hard baked to retain the desired smooth configuration of the layers. The improved merged MR head has a smooth configuration to its top pole piece P2 because of the smooth configuration of the I2/I3 layer so that flux leakage and saturation problems are minimized.

Abstract: A horizontal combined head is provided which has both a thin film write and an MR read element located at an air bearing surface (ABS). The read element can be formed with a track width that is independent of the track width of the write element. The MR sensor or the read element is separated from one of the first and second pole pieces of the write element by an insulation layer. Accordingly, the shields for the read element remain more stable after a write operation. In one embodiment of the present invention a single stripe MR sensor is employed while in a second embodiment a dual stripe MR sensor is employed. A method of the invention includes forming the dual MR stripe in a single process step so that the dual MR stripes of the dual MR sensor are near identical for implementing near absolute common mode rejection of noise.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive read/inductive write magnetic head assembly formed on a hard electrically insulating substrate and having electrostatic discharge protection comprises: a hard electrically insulating substrate, preferably formed of sapphire or alumina-TiC; multiple alumina layers formed over the substrate; a magnetoresistive read/inductive write head positioned between the alumina layers; a silicon layer supported by the substrate; and a semiconducting circuit integrated into the silicon layer and interconnected with said magnetoresistive read/write inductive write head to provide electrostatic discharge protection to the head. The silicon layer may be epitaxially grown on the substrate when implemented as sapphire, or bonded to the substrate when implemented as alumina-TiC. The hard electrically insulating substrate and alumina layers provide the assembly with a hard air bearing surface having generally uniform lapping and etching characteristics, and excellent durability.

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing is provided for making an improved merged MR head. The method employs a photoresist mask with appropriately-sized openings for simultaneously etching numerous vias to various depths over a set time period. After formation of the vias, a single photoresist mask is employed to pattern in one step gap layers G3, G2, G1 and a first shield layer S1 to the desired lateral configuration for the merged MR head. Subsequent to patterning these thin film layers, double insulation layers I2 and I3 are individually soft baked on top of the coil structure of the head followed by patterning of the layers I2/I3 by a single photoresist mask. These layers are then hard baked to retain the desired smooth configuration of the layers. The improved merged MR head has a smooth configuration to its top pole piece P2 because of the smooth configuration of the I2/I3 layer so that flux leakage and saturation problems are minimized.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer having passive end regions separated by a central active region in which an MR layer is formed over substantially only the central active region and in which a magnetic bias layers is formed in each passive end region. Each of the magnetic bias layers includes a layer of ferromagnetic material and a layer of antiferromagnetic material overlaying and in contact with the ferromagnetic layer to provide an exchange-coupled magnetic bias field. Each of the magnetic bias layers form an abutting junction having magnetic and electrically continuity with the MR layer to produce a longitudinal magnetic bias field in the transducer.