Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic head and particularly to improvement of its recording element. The recording element includes a first magnetic film, a second magnetic film, a coil film, and an insulating film. The first magnetic film has a first pole portion. The second magnetic film has a second pole portion opposed to the first pole portion with a magnetic gap film therebetween and is joined to the first magnetic film at a back gap portion that is located in a rearward position with respect to a medium facing surface. The coil film extends around the back gap portion, and the insulating film encloses the coil film. Moreover, the second magnetic film entirely covers the insulating film.

Abstract: A multi-channel thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, a plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements formed on the substrate, a closure fixed onto the plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements, a protection film laminated on a whole area of a TBS of the plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements and the closure, and many micro-grooves formed in a surface of the protection film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic head and particularly to improvement of its recording element. The recording element includes a first magnetic film, a second magnetic film, a coil film, and an insulating film. The first magnetic film has a first pole portion. The second magnetic film has a second pole portion opposed to the first pole portion with a magnetic gap film therebetween and is joined to the first magnetic film at a back gap portion that is located in a rearward position with respect to a medium facing surface. The coil film extends around the back gap portion, and the insulating film encloses the coil film. Moreover, the second magnetic film entirely covers the insulating film.

Abstract: A multi-channel thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, a plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements formed on the substrate, a closure fixed onto the plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements, a protection film laminated on a whole area of a TBS of the plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements and the closure, and many micro-grooves formed in a surface of the protection film.

Abstract: A composite thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, an under layer formed on the substrate, an MR read head element formed on the under layer and provided with a lower shield layer, an upper shield layer and an MR layer in which a sense current flows in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the MR layer through the upper shield layer and the lower shield layer, an inter-shield insulation layer laminated on the MR read head element, an inductive write head element formed on the inter-shield insulation layer and provided with a first magnetic pole layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a second magnetic pole layer whose end portion is opposed to an end portion of the first magnetic pole layer through the nonmagnetic layer, and a write coil, and an additional shield layer formed between the upper shield layer and the first magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a thin-film magnetic head with a dishing suppressed in the case of planarizing a magnetic shield which a read head portion has or a magnetic pole which a write head portion has is provided.

Abstract: A bottom pole layer and a top pole layer respectively incorporate pole portion layers. Cross sections of the pole portion layers and a gap layer parallel to the top surface of a substrate are of the same shapes. The aggregate of the pole portion layers and the gap layer includes a first portion having a width W that defines the track width, and a second portion having a width greater than the width W of the first portion. L/W falls within a range of 2 to 5 inclusive, where L is the distance from a medium facing surface to the interface between the first portion and the second portion. S/(W×L) falls within a range of 5 to 40 inclusive, where S is the area of the cross section of the aggregate parallel to the top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A composite thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, an under layer formed on the substrate, an MR read head element formed on the under layer and provided with a lower shield layer, an upper shield layer and an MR layer in which a sense current flows in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the MR layer through the upper shield layer and the lower shield layer, an inter-shield insulation layer laminated on the MR read head element, an inductive write head element formed on the inter-shield insulation layer and provided with a first magnetic pole layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a second magnetic pole layer whose end portion is opposed to an end portion of the first magnetic pole layer through the nonmagnetic layer, and a write coil, and an additional shield layer formed between the upper shield layer and the first magnetic pole layer.

Abstract: An electroplated magnetic thin film consisting of an electroplated film of Fe—Co alloy containing Fe by an amount of 52–86 wt % and having a highly packed fine crystal grain structure, a flat and glossy surface, a high saturation magnetic flux density not less than 2.1 T, a low coercive force of 5–10 Oe, and being particularly suitable as a pole portion of a thin film magnetic head is proposed. The electroplated magnetic thin film is deposited on a substrate by an electroplating process with a pulsatory current or direct current having a current density of 3–120 mA/cm2 while using an electroplating bath containing one or both of sulfate salt and hydrochloric salt serving as supply sources of Fe ions and Co ions, saccharin sodium serving as a stress relaxation agent by an amount not less than 1 g/l, boric acid as a pH buffer agent, ammonium chloride as an electrically conductivity salt, and sodium lauryl sulfate as a surfactant.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head allowing dimension control of the width of the magnetic pole and reduction of the time required for formation is provided. A layer of iron nitride formed by sputtering is selectively etched with the RIE to form a top pole tip. In this etching process with RIE, chlorine-type gas is selected as a gas seed for etching, and the process temperature is in a range of 50° C. to 300° C. Subsequently, using part of a first mask and a tip portion of the top pole tip as a mask, part of both the write gap layer and the second bottom pole are etched with the RIE similarly to the above process, to thereby form a magnetic pole. The etching conditions are optimized by performing the process with the RIE under the above conditions, so that both of the top pole tip and the magnetic pole can be formed with high precision, and that the time required for forming both of these elements can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: A top pole layer in a write head includes, in a pole portion, a first layer having surfaces one of which is adjacent to a write gap layer, a second layer having surfaces one of which is adjacent to the other surface of the first layer, and a third layer having surfaces one of which is adjacent to the other surface of the second layer. The first to third layers have different saturation flux densities such that the closer the layer to the write gap layer, the higher saturation flux density.

Abstract: A bottom pole layer incorporates a pole portion layer and a yoke portion layer. A top pole layer incorporates a pole portion layer and a yoke portion layer. The pole portion layer of the bottom pole layer, a write gap layer, and the pole portion layer of the top pole layer have cross sections of the same shapes, the cross sections being parallel to the top surface of a substrate. The aggregate of both pole portion layers and the write gap layer includes a first portion having a width that defines the track width and a second portion having a width greater than the width of the first portion. Where the width of the first portion is W and the distance from a medium facing surface ABS to the interface between the first portion and the second portion is L, L/W falls within a range of 2 to 5 inclusive. Where the area of the cross section of the aggregate parallel to the top surface of the substrate is S, S/(W×L) falls within a range of 5 to 40 inclusive.

Abstract: There is disclosed a soft magnetic thin film represented by a composition formula of Fea1·Cob1·Cc1·Od1. In this case, atomic % values of the a1 to d1 respectively satisfy the following: 51.0≦a1≦95.0, 5 0≦b1≦49.0, 0.5≦c1≦10.0, 0.5≦d1≦20.0, a1+b1+c1+d1=100 Thus, it is possible to improve a characteristic of a thin film magnetic head by achieving a high saturation magnetic flux density, suppressing an increase in an anisotropic magnetic field caused by increased concentration of oxygen, and preventing a reduction in permeability.

Abstract: A track width defining layer for defining a write track width of a thin-film magnetic head is made of a CoNiFe film formed through electroplating. The CoNiFe film contains 60 to 75 weight % cobalt, 10 to 20 weight % nickel, and 10 to 20 weight % iron, and has a crystal structure that is a mixture of a body-centered cubic structure phase and a face-centered cubic structure phase, in which Ib/If falls within the range of 0.3 to 0.7 inclusive where Ib represents the intensity of an X-ray diffracted from a (110)-plane of the body-centered cubic structure and If represents the intensity of an X-ray diffracted from a (111)-plane of the face-centered cubic structure. The pH of a plating bath for forming the CoNiFe film through electroplating is adjusted to 3.0 to 4.0 inclusive.

Abstract: An electroplated magnetic thin film consisting of an electroplated film of Fe—Co alloy containing Fe by an amount of 52-86 wt % and having a highly packed fine crystal grain structure, a flat and glossy surface, a high saturation magnetic flux density not less than 2.1 T, a low coercive force of 5-10 Oe, and being particularly suitable as a pole portion of a thin film magnetic head is proposed. The electroplated magnetic thin film is deposited on a substrate by an electroplating process with a pulsatory current or direct current having a current density of 3-120 mA/cm while using an electroplating bath containing one or both of sulfate salt and hydrochloric salt serving as supply sources of Fe ions and Co ions, saccharin sodium serving as a stress relaxation agent by an amount not less than 1 g/l, boric acid as a pH buffer agent, ammonium chloride as an electrically conductivity salt, and sodium lauryl sulfate as a surfactant.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head allowing dimension control of the width of the magnetic pole and reduction of the time required for formation is provided. A layer of iron nitride formed by sputtering is selectively etched with the RIE to form a top pole tip. In this etching process with RIE, chlorine-type gas is selected as a gas seed for etching, and the process temperature is in a range of 50° C. to 300° C. Subsequently, using part of a first mask and a tip portion of the top pole tip as a mask, part of both the write gap layer and the second bottom pole are etched with the RIE similarly to the above process, to thereby form a magnetic pole. The etching conditions are optimized by performing the process with the RIE under the above conditions, so that both of the top pole tip and the magnetic pole can be formed with high precision, and that the time required for forming both of these elements can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head allowing dimension control of the width of the magnetic pole and reduction of the time required for formation is provided. A layer of iron nitride formed by sputtering is selectively etched with the RIE to form a top pole tip. In this etching process with RIE, chlorine-type gas is selected as a gas seed for etching, and the process temperature is in a range of 50° C. to 300° C. Subsequently, using part of a first mask and a tip portion of the top pole tip as a mask, part of both the write gap layer and the second bottom pole are etched with the RIE similarly to the above process, to thereby form a magnetic pole. The etching conditions are optimized by performing the process with the RIE under the above conditions, so that both of the top pole tip and the magnetic pole can be formed with high precision, and that the time required for forming both of these elements can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: In a method of forming a track width defining layer including a magnetic pole portion, a base film is initially formed on a write gap layer. The base film includes a first layer made of a magnetic material having a saturation magnetic flux density of 1.8 T or more, and a second layer formed on the first layer and made of a magnetic material. The magnetic material forming the second layer is a material containing Fe or Ni as a main component and without containing Co. Then, a frame having an opening of a shape matching with the track width defining layer is formed on the second layer. Subsequently, the track width defining layer is formed within the opening by electroplating, using the base film as an electrode.

Abstract: There is disclosed a soft magnetic thin film represented by a composition formula of Feal.Cobl.Ccl.Odl.

Abstract: In a method of forming a track width defining layer including a magnetic pole portion, a base film is initially formed on a write gap layer. The base film includes a first layer made of a magnetic material having a saturation magnetic flux density of 1.8 T or more, and a second layer formed on the first layer and made of a magnetic material. The magnetic material forming the second layer is a material containing Fe or Ni as a main component and without containing Co. Then, a frame having an opening of a shape matching with the track width defining layer is formed on the second layer. Subsequently, the track width defining layer is formed within the opening by electroplating, using the base film as an electrode.