Abstract: A process for forming a plurality of sliders for use in thermally-assisted recording (TAR) disk drives includes a wafer-level process for forming a plurality of aperture structures, and optionally abutting optical channels, on a wafer surface prior to cutting the wafer into individual sliders. The wafer has a generally planar surface arranged into a plurality of rectangularly-shaped regions. In each rectangular region a first metal layer is deposited on the wafer surface, followed by a layer of radiation-transmissive aperture material, which is then lithographically patterned to define the width of the aperture, the aperture width being parallel to the length of the rectangularly-shaped region. A second metal layer is deposited over the patterned layer of aperture material. The resulting structure is then lithographically patterned to define an aperture structure comprising aperture material surrounded by metal and having parallel radiation entrance and exit faces orthogonal to the wafer surface.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a flux conductor in contact with the write pole. The flux conductor is substantially wider than the write pole tip in the cross-track direction and has a blunt end that is recessed from the pole tip end. The region of the flux conductor where its blunt end is in contact with the pole tip is the “choke” point for the write pole, i.e., the point where the flux density is highest. The flux conductor enables the write pole to be made with no flare, or with a flare angle and throat height with a much wider tolerance, which substantially simplifies the manufacturing process. The write head may have a trailing shield and side shields that substantially surround the write pole tip and remove stray fields that may be produced by the flux conductor, so that regions of the recording layer other than the track being written are not adversely affected.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method includes the formation of a write pole over a substrate. A non-magnetic side gap layer is deposited and an ion milling is used to remove a portion of the substrate to lower the floor of the substrate. A sacrificial fill layer can then be deposited. A chemical mechanical polishing process can be used to remove the mask structure remaining as a remnant of the formation of the write pole, and then the sacrificial fill layer can be removed. A non-magnetic, electrically conductive material can be deposited to form a tailing gap, an a magnetic material can then be deposited to form a wrap around trailing shield.

Abstract: A self pinned magnetoresistive sensor that has a relatively thick compressive material at either side to assist with self pinning. A shield having recessed portions at either side of the sensor area allows room for a thicker compressive layer than would otherwise be possible.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method includes the formation of a write pole over a substrate. A non-magnetic side gap layer is deposited and an ion milling is used to remove a portion of the substrate to lower the floor of the substrate. A sacrificial fill layer can then be deposited. A chemical mechanical polishing process can be used to remove the mask structure remaining as a remnant of the formation of the write pole, and then the sacrificial fill layer can be removed. A non-magnetic, electrically conductive material can be deposited to form a trailing gap, and a magnetic material can then be deposited to form a wrap around trailing shield.

Abstract: A magnetic write head for data recording having a magnetic write pole with a stepped magnetic shell structure that defines a secondary flare point. The secondary flare point defined by the magnetic shell portion can be more tightly controlled with respect to its distance from the air bearing surface (ABS) of the write head than can a traditional flare point that is photolithographically on the main pole structure. This allows the effective flare point of the write head to be moved much closer to the ABS than would otherwise be possible using currently available tooling and photolithography techniques. The write head may also include a magnetic trailing shield that wraps around the main pole portion.

Abstract: An optical lapping guide for determining an amount of lapping performed on a row of sliders in a process for manufacturing sliders for magnetic data recording. The optical lapping guide is constructed with a front edge that is at an angle with respect to an air bearing surface plane ABS plane, such that a portion of the lapping guides is in front of the ABS and portion of the lapping guide is behind the ABS. As lapping progresses, an increasing amount of the lapping guide will be exposed at the ABS and visible for inspection. Therefore, after a lapping process has been performed, the optical lapping guide can be inspected to determine the amount of material removed by lapping. The greater the amount of the lapping guide that is exposed and visible, the greater the amount of material removed by lapping.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a flux conductor in contact with the write pole. The flux conductor is substantially wider than the write pole tip in the cross-track direction and has a blunt end that is recessed from the pole tip end. The region of the flux conductor where its blunt end is in contact with the pole tip is the “choke” point for the write pole, i.e., the point where the flux density is highest. The flux conductor enables the write pole to be made with no flare, or with a flare angle and throat height with a much wider tolerance, which substantially simplifies the manufacturing process. The write head may have a trailing shield and side shields that substantially surround the write pole tip and remove stray fields that may be produced by the flux conductor, so that regions of the recording layer other than the track being written are not adversely affected.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a head for perpendicular recording with self-aligning side shields. The voids where the side shields will be formed are milled into the layer of material for the pole tip to achieve self-alignment. A mask is patterned with openings defining initial shape of the pole piece tip nearest the air-bearing surface including the width and the point at which the pole tip widens out. A film of soft magnetic material to form the side shields is deposited over the wafer. A chemical-mechanical-polishing process is preferably used to remove the mask and the material deposited on it. A new mask is patterned over the predetermined area for the final shape of the pole tip and the side shields. The excess side shield material and pole tip material outside of the mask is then removed.

Abstract: A device according to one embodiment includes an electronic component such as an MR sensor, a pair of leads operatively coupled to the electronic component, and shorting material between the leads, the shorting material having been applied by a laser deposition process, the shorting material having been severed. A magnetic storage system according to another embodiment includes magnetic media; and at least one head for reading from and writing to the magnetic media, each head having: a sensor; and a writer coupled to the sensor. The system also includes a pair of pads or leads operatively coupled to the head; shorting material between the leads, the shorting material having been applied by a laser deposition process, the shorting material having been severed; a slider for supporting the head; and a control unit coupled to the head for controlling operation of the head.

Abstract: A method for forming a perpendicular magnetic recording head using an air-bearing surface damascene process and perpendicular magnetic recording head formed thereby is disclosed. The perpendicular head is formed by depositing a pseudo trailing shield layer over a pole layer and selectively etching the pseudo trailing shield layer to a depth equal to a desired trailing shield throat height. Then, a magnetic material is deposited in the resulting void.

Abstract: A heating device for a magnetic recording head includes first and second separating layers, the first separating layer having preferably a higher or equal thermal resistance than the first separating layer, and a heater formed between the first and second separating layers. A magnetic recording head for recording on magnetic medium includes a heating device which generates a heat spot on the magnetic medium which is larger than a magnetic track width, and/or heats a portion of the magnetic recording head which is on a leading edge side of a write gap in the magnetic recording head.

Abstract: A method for shorting, unshorting, and reshorting an electronic component such as an MR sensor provides a repeatable ESD protection scheme. A conductive line of an electrically conductive first shorting material is created between electrical leads operatively coupled to an electronic component for creating a short therebetween. The short is severed using a laser. The short is recreated by applying a second shorting material, which may or may not be the same as the first shorting material.

Abstract: A magnetic write head for use in perpendicular magnetic data recording. The write head includes a write pole and a trailing shield having a tapered surface. A return pole stitched to the trailing shield is magnetically connected with the write pole at a location away from the air bearing surface (ABS).

Abstract: A slider fabrication assembly and method for making the same are provided. A slider is formed on a substrate. A corrodible component of the slider is exposed to an environment in contact with the slider. A kerf region of the substrate is positioned adjacent to the slider. The kerf region is removable from the slider. A sacrificial anode is embedded in the kerf region and exposed to the environment. The sacrificial anode is electrically coupled to the corrodible component of the slider thereby forming an electrochemical cell. The sacrificial anode is less noble, i.e., more corrodible, than the corrodible slider component, and thus corrodes first. When the kerf region is removed, the corroded sacrificial anode is removed as well.

Abstract: A process for electroplating and annealing thin-films of nickel-iron alloys having from 63% to 81% iron content by weight to produce pole pieces having saturation flux density (BS) in the range from 1.9 to 2.3 T (19 to 23 kG) with acceptable magnetic anisotropy and magnetostriction and a coercivity (HC) no higher than 160 A/m (2 Oe). The desired alloy layer properties, including small crystal size and minimal impurity inclusions, can be produced by including higher relative levels of Fe++ ions in the electroplating bath while holding the bath at a lower temperature while plating from a suitable seed layer. The resulting alloy layer adopts a small crystal size (BCC) without significant inclusion of impurities, which advantageously permits annealing to an acceptable HC while retaining the high BS desired.

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. Following the electroplating of the components 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. The problem of seed layer redeposition along the sides of the electroplated components is overcome because the gaseous fluoride compound is not redeposited. The present invention also includes an enhanced two part seed layer, where the lower part is tungsten, titanium or tantalum and the upper part is composed of the material that constitutes the component to be electroplated.

Abstract: A magnetic head for a hard disk drive. The magnetic poles of the head are formed with a NiFe alloy having a graduated composition in which a higher Fe concentration is fabricated proximate the write gap layer between the magnetic poles. Each magnetic pole is fabricated in a single electroplating step in which the duty cycle of the electroplating current is altered during the electroplating operation. Where the duty cycle is greatest the Fe ion concentration is likewise greatest.

Abstract: A thin-film write head employing pole pieces formed of an electroplated body-centered cubic (BCC) nickel-iron alloy with a saturation flux density (BS) of 1.9 to 2.3 T (19 to 23 kG) and an acceptable coercivity (HC) of about 80 to about 160 A/m (1-2 Oe). The iron content of the electroplated nickel-iron alloy is from 64% to 81% by weight. The two-layer pole fabrication process holds magnetic anisotropy and coercivity to useable values while improving saturation flux density and optimizing magnetostriction. This is accomplished by first electroplating a BCC nickel-iron layer onto an underlying seed layer and then annealing the two layers to reduce coercivity to less than about 160 amps/meter and raise magnetization to acceptable levels.

Abstract: A magnetic head for a hard disk drive. The magnetic poles of the head are formed with a NiFe alloy having a graduated composition in which a higher Fe concentration is fabricated proximate the write gap layer between the magnetic poles. Each magnetic pole is fabricated in a single electroplating step in which the duty cycle of the electroplating current is altered during the electroplating operation. Where the duty cycle is greatest the Fe ion concentration is likewise greatest.