Abstract: A multi-channel head includes a substrate, a plurality of write elements arranged in a track width direction above the substrate in a lamination direction, and a plurality of read elements arranged in the track width direction above the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction. At least one of the plurality of write elements is offset from the others in the lamination direction. All the plurality of read elements are located higher than an uppermost one of the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction.

Abstract: A method of producing a thin film magnetic head includes the steps of: forming a second lower magnetic pole layer in a part on a first lower magnetic pole layer; forming, over the entire wafer surface, an insulating layer so as to be thicker than the thickness of the second lower magnetic pole layer in the stacking direction, the insulating layer being less likely to be etched than the second lower magnetic pole layer; carrying out a planarizing process by CMP on the entire wafer surface until the second lower magnetic pole layer is exposed; forming a concave portion including the second lower magnetic pole layer and the insulating layer by ion beam etching on the entire wafer surface; forming a recording gap layer over the entire wafer surface; and forming a first upper magnetic pole layer in the upper magnetic pole layer so as to fill the concave portion.

Abstract: The head slider has a plurality of heaters each heating a corresponding region of the ABS, and a sensor detecting collision of the ABS with a projection on a surface of the magnetic disk. Currents supplied to the respective heaters are controlled and produce heats independently of one another. The heats produce projections on the corresponding regions of the ABS, respectively. The ABS with asperity can be planarized through appropriately controlling magnitude of the currents supplied to the heaters. Thus, the variation of a sensor output depending on asperity of the ABS is effectively reduced. Another head slider has a heater locally heating a corresponding region of the ABS. The heater has a structure where a central portion is away from the ABS compared with end portions, or a structure where calorific power of a central portion is smaller than that of each of end portions. Thus, overall projection shape becomes flat.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head with a heater. A thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, a magnetic read head element that has a shield area and is formed on the substrate, a magnetic write head element that has a pole area and is formed on the opposite side of the substrate with respect to the magnetic read head element, an overcoat layer that covers the magnetic read head element and the magnetic write head element and is formed on the substrate, a heater that heats at least during the magnetic read head element or the magnetic write head element in operation and is formed in the overcoat layer, and a slit area that splits the shield area in a shield length direction and is made of lower thermal conductivity material than the one of the shield area.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention comprises: a substrate; at least one magnetic head element formed on the substrate; an overcoat multilayer composed of a plurality of overcoat layers, formed on the substrate so as to cover the at least one magnetic head element; and at least one heating element to be heated at least during operation of the at least one magnetic head element, the at least one heating element provided in the overcoat multilayer, and a coefficient of thermal expansion of an overcoat layer located farthest from the substrate in the overcoat multilayer being smaller than a coefficient of thermal expansion of an overcoat layer located closest to the substrate in the overcoat multilayer.

Abstract: A magnetic head part is constituted by a reproducing head part having a GMR device and a recording head part acting as an inductive electromagnetic transducer which are laminated on a support. The magnetic head part further comprises a heater. One of poles of the heater is electrically connected to a heater electrode pad disposed on a first surface of a head slider. The other pole is electrically connected to a substrate constituting the support, and is energized by way of a second surface of the head slider.

Abstract: A method is presented for grinding a surface of an elongate bar having a plurality of thin film magnetic elements aligned in a line, each of the thin film magnetic elements having a magnetoresistive sensor for reading a magnetic record from a recording medium and an inductive electromagnetic transducer for writing a magnetic record into the recording medium in a stacked structure, the surface of the bar being a grind surface so that it can be formed into an air-bearing surface by means of the grinding. The method has steps of providing first resistive films on the grind surface in advance along a first longitudinal line parallel to a longitudinal direction of the bar, and providing second resistive films on the grind surface in advance along a second longitudinal line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bar.

Abstract: A multi-channel head includes at least one head chip. The head chip has a plurality of elements and at least one bonding interface, and the head chip has at least one element on one side of the bonding interface and at least one element on the other side of the bonding interface.

Abstract: A method of producing a thin film magnetic head includes the steps of: forming a second lower magnetic pole layer in a part on a first lower magnetic pole layer; forming, over the entire wafer surface, an insulating layer so as to be thicker than the thickness of the second lower magnetic pole layer in the stacking direction, the insulating layer being less likely to be etched than the second lower magnetic pole layer; carrying out a planarizing process by CMP on the entire wafer surface until the second lower magnetic pole layer is exposed; forming a concave portion including the second lower magnetic pole layer and the insulating layer by ion beam etching on the entire wafer surface; forming a recording gap layer over the entire wafer surface; and forming a first upper magnetic pole layer in the upper magnetic pole layer so as to fill the concave portion.

Abstract: The head slider has a plurality of heaters each heating a corresponding region of the ABS, and a sensor detecting collision of the ABS with a projection on a surface of the magnetic disk. Currents supplied to the respective heaters are controlled and produce heats independently of one another. The heats produce projections on the corresponding regions of the ABS, respectively. The ABS with asperity can be planarized through appropriately controlling magnitude of the currents supplied to the heaters. Thus, the variation of a sensor output depending on asperity of the ABS is effectively reduced. Another head slider has a heater locally heating a corresponding region of the ABS. The heater has a structure where a central portion is away from the ABS compared with end portions, or a structure where calorific power of a central portion is smaller than that of each of end portions. Thus, overall projection shape becomes flat.

Abstract: A multi-channel head includes a substrate, a plurality of write elements arranged in a track width direction above the substrate in a lamination direction, and a plurality of read elements arranged in the track width direction above the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction. At least one of the plurality of write elements is offset from the others in the lamination direction. All the plurality of read elements are located higher than an uppermost one of the plurality of write elements in the lamination direction.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head has at least either an electromagnetic transducer or a magnetoresistive device, and a sheet-shaped heater for generating heat when energized. The heater has a heating part and a lead part connected in series to the heating part. The lead part has a sheet resistance lower than that of the heating part.

Abstract: A heater member is formed in structure including a heater layer with a low electrical resistivity and a cap layer with a higher electrical resistivity, an electrically conductive electrode film is formed thereon, and electrically conductive bumps are formed thereon by plating. Unnecessary part of the electrode film is removed using the bumps as a mask. The heater member generates heat to thermally expand a thin-film magnetic head, whereby the distance is reduced between a recording medium and, a magnetoresistive device and/or an electromagnetic conversion device. During removal of the electrode film part of the cap layer with the higher electrical resistivity in the heater member is removed together with the electrode film, which reduces the variation in the total resistance of the heater member.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head on a support includes an electromagnetic transducer for writing, a magnetoresistive device for reading, an overcoat layer and a heating element. The transducer and magnetoresistive device are disposed on the support. The overcoat layer is disposed at the opposite side of them from the support. The heating element is provided in the overcoat layer and generates heat when energized.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises at least one of a magnetoresistive device and an electromagnetic transducer, and a heater adapted to generate heat upon energization. A method of making this thin-film magnetic head comprises a heater forming step of forming the heater, and an annealing step of annealing the heater formed by the heater forming step.

Abstract: In the head slider of the present invention, recording and reproducing electrode pads and heater electrode pads are attached to the same surface of an overcoat layer. The heater electrode pads are located on both sides of a group constituted by the recording and reproducing electrode pads. As a consequence, leads for the heater are located between respective leads for recording and reproducing head parts, whereby crosstalk can be prevented from occurring between the leads for the recording and reproducing head parts.

Abstract: The head slider in accordance with the present invention comprises a thin-film magnetic head including a magnetoresistive device and an electromagnetic transducer, and a heater adapted to generate heat upon energization. At least one of a reproducing bump, a recording bump, and a heater bump includes a bypass layer extending in a direction intersecting a bump extending direction, a first bump portion positioned closer to a pad-forming surface than is the bypass layer, and a second bump portion positioned on the side of the bypass layer opposite from the first bump portion. The first and second bump portions are displaced from each other in the bypass layer extending direction.

Abstract: The heaters in the respective thin-film magnetic head in the bar are electrically connected to its neighbors, and a variable resistor is connected to each of the heaters in parallel. The resistance of each of the variable resistors is varied depending on the amount that the medium-opposing surface (ABS) of the thin-film magnetic head is to project. Also, the medium-opposing surface of the thin-film magnetic head in the magnetic head bar is polished while energizing all the heaters by the same power supply.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head with a heater. A thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, a magnetic read head element that has a shield area and is formed on the substrate, a magnetic write head element that has a pole area and is formed on the opposite side of the substrate with respect to the magnetic read head element, an overcoat layer that covers the magnetic read head element and the magnetic write head element and is formed on the substrate, a heater that heats at least during the magnetic read head element or the magnetic write head element in operation and is formed in the overcoat layer, and a slit area that splits the shield area in a shield length direction and is made of lower thermal conductivity material than the one of the shield area.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention comprises: a substrate; at least one magnetic head element formed on the substrate; an overcoat multilayer composed of a plurality of overcoat layers, formed on the substrate so as to cover the at least one magnetic head element; and at least one heating element to be heated at least during operation of the at least one magnetic head element, the at least one heating element provided in the overcoat multilayer, and a coefficient of thermal expansion of an overcoat layer located farthest from the substrate in the overcoat multilayer being smaller than a coefficient of thermal expansion of an overcoat layer located closest to the substrate in the overcoat multilayer.