Abstract: Disclosed is a system and a method for reducing high frequency interference pickup by the read element of the magneto-recording head. The reduction is achieved by reducing the parisitic capacitance between certain elements of the magnetic head. In one embodiment, the areas of the pads and leads, including the areas of the leads over the S1 and the areas of the sensor leads, are reduced. A second implementation involves increasing the separation between the pads and leads and the substrate material. Copper studs or vias may be used to connect the contact pads and the underlying layers. A third implementation includes using a low dielectric constant material as a spacer layer between conductors (leads, pads, magnetic shields) and the substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method provides for accurate definition of a device feature such as a write pole flare point. A functional lapping guide is formed to determine when a lapping operation should be terminated to define an air bearing surface of a slider. In order to provide accurate compensation for manufacturing variations in the functional lapping guide, a dummy lapping guide is provided. An amount of variation of a front edge of the dummy lapping guide, which is defined by the same process step as a writer pole flare point, can be calculated by measuring the width (stripe height) of the dummy lapping guide based on its electrical resistance.

Abstract: A method of reducing flux leakage between a main pole and a wrap around shield (WAS) is provided. A gap underneath a main pole is etched. Magnetic material is deposited in the gap. A layer of nonmagnetic material is deposited on the magnetic material, wherein the layer of nonmagnetic material reduces flux leakage between the main pole and the WAS.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a stepped trailing shield. The stepped trailing shield is formed by forming a non-magnetic bump over a write pole prior to electroplating a wrap-around magnetic shield. The method allows the location of the front edge of the bump relative to the back edge of the wrap-around shield to be monitored by measuring the electrical resistance of an electrical lapping guide formed concurrently with these features. This concurrent formation of a lapping guide can be used to define the relative location of other features as well, such as the location of a back edge of a wrap-around shield relative to a flare point of a write pole.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head is formed on the trailing surface of a head carrier or slider that has an air-bearing surface (ABS) oriented generally parallel to the surface of the disk during operation of the disk drive. The write head has a slanted ferromagnetic write pole (WP) that forms an angle between about 5 and 20 degrees from a normal to the ABS. The slanted WP is formed over the generally planar surface of the ferromagnetic main pole and the slanted surface of a support layer located between the ABS and the recessed end of the main pole. A trailing shield (TS) has a slanted face that is generally parallel to and spaced from the slanted WP, with a nonmagnetic gap layer located between the slanted face of the TS and the slanted WP.

Abstract: A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording having a notched write pole for reduced magnetic core width (MCW) dependence on skew. The write pole is configured with a notch that can extend to or slightly beyond the flare point of the write pole, and is formed on the leading portion of the write pole. The notch can have a notch depth, as measured from the ABS of 50-200 nm or about 120 nm. The notch can have a notch height, measured in the down track direction that is 40-90 nm or 20-90 percent of the write pole height.

Abstract: A magnetic structure for use in a magnetic head for avoiding wide angle track erasure and other forms of adjacent track interference. The magnetic structure includes a trailing shield having a specially configured back edge opposite the air bearing surface ABS. The magnetic shield has a shallow substantially constant throat height at a center portion. Then, the back edge of the shield tapers back away from the ABS in first and second intermediate portion located at either side of the center portion. These intermediate portions lead to first and second outer portions that have substantially constant throat heights that are larger than the throat height at the center region. The throat height at each of the laterally outer portions can be 1.5 to 5 times the throat height of the center portion. This configuration, chokes off stray fields that might be picked up by the outer portions of the shield preventing excessive magnetic flux from reaching the central portion of the shield where it might affect writing.

Abstract: A magnetic data recording system that can directly measure soft underlayer spacing of a perpendicular magnetic write head during operation. The soft underlayer spacing of the magnetic write head can be determined by measuring the magnetic inductance of the write head. The inductance of the write head varies with changes in the distance between the write pole and the soft underlayer of the magnetic medium. By connecting the write head with magnetic inductance measuring circuitry, the soft underlayer spacing can be constantly monitored during operation of the magnetic data recording system. The system can also include active fly height control such as a thermal fly height control capability. By directly measuring the soft underlayer spacing in real time during use of the data recording system, the actively fly height controlling features can be operated efficiently to precisely maintain a desired spacing between the write pole and the soft underlayer of the magnetic medium.

Abstract: A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording having a write pole that is sandwiched between first and second magnetic shaping layers. The split shaping layers allow a laminated shaping layer structure allows a manufacturable laminated shaping layer to be constructed for improved data rate. One of the magnetic shaping layers can be formed as a laminated structure while that other can be a single layer of electroplated magnetic material. The shaping layers can be separated from the write pole by a thin layer of non-magnetic material to form a laminated interface between the write pole and the shaping layers. These features reduce magnetic domains and also reduce eddy currents which advantageously improves data rate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method includes forming a write pole, and then depositing a refill layer. A mask structure can be formed over the writ pole and refill layer, the mask structure being configured to define a stitched pole. An ion milling or reactive ion milling can then be performed to remove portions of the refill layer that are not protected by the mask structure. Then a magnetic material can be deposited to form a stitched write pole that defines a secondary flare point. The stitched pole can also be self aligned with an electrical lapping guide in order to accurately locate the front edge of the secondary flare point relative to the air bearing surface of the write head.

Abstract: A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording having a trailing shield with a two step throat height. The trailing shield is formed over a non-magnetic bump that forms a notch in the leading edge of the trailing shield. This notch defines a first, smaller throat height closest to the write pole and a larger throat height away from the write pole. The smaller throat height near the write pole prevents excess magnetic flux from leaking to the write pole, thereby ensuring efficient strong write field. The larger trailing shield throat height away from the write pole prevents magnetic saturation oft the trailing shield and also greatly facilitates manufacturing avoiding problems related to variations and deviations in manufacturing processes used to define the trailing shield.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing sub-micron write head flare definition is provided. The method for processing a perpendicular magnetic head forms a portion of a perpendicular write head, where the portion of the write head includes a first pole layer, a coil layer, a second pole layer and a write pole, the method forms a portion of a magnetic read head adjacent to the portion of the perpendicular write head, where the portion of the read head includes a shield layer and a sensor, the method also laps the write pole concurrently with the sensor to define a flare position of the pole tip and to define a sensor height, where the flare position of the pole tip is defined in the same photo-lithography step as the back edge of the sensor.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method allows the write head to be formed with a write pole having a concave trailing edge. The method further allows the amount of concavity of the trailing edge to be accurately and carefully controlled both within a wafer and between wafers. A write pole is formed using a mask that includes a hard mask, a RIEable layer and an endpoint detection layer. A layer of non-magnetic material (ALD layer) is deposited, and then, an ion milling process is used to remove a portion of the ALD layer disposed over the write pole and mask. A reactive ion etch process is performed to remove the RIEable layer leaving the ALD layer to form non-magnetic side walls with upper portions that extend above the write pole.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a pole tip structure having a shape for preventing over saturation of the pole tip structure is disclosed. A cap layer having a tail structure for reducing the saturation of the cap layer is formed over the pole structure. The tail structure includes an angled surface that can vary between approximately 15° and 65°.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a write head with a helical coil having a very small and well controlled spacing between adjacent coil leads. The method includes forming a first set of coil leads, then conformally depositing a thin layer of electrically insulating material such as alumina over the first set of coil leads and over the substrate. An electrically conductive seed layer is then deposited over the thin layer of non-magnetic, electrically insulating material An electrically conductive material such as Cu is then deposited by electroplating in order to form a second set of electrically conductive leads interspersed within the first set of electrically conductive leads, each of the second set of leads being separated from the second set of leads by a portion of the thin layer of non-magnetic, electrically insulating material.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating a write head with a self aligned wrap around shield and a self aligned flared region of a write pole. A flare point and a track width of a write pole may be fabricated using multiple processes. The multiple processes utilize several masking structures to define the track width and the flare point of the write pole. A mask structure is formed to cover a first portion of the write pole. An edge of the mask structure adjacent to an exposed second portion of the write pole defines a flare point of the write pole. Various structures of the write head, including shield gap layers, a wrap around shield and a flared region (e.g., the yoke) of the write pole may be fabricated from the flare point defined by the mask structure.

Abstract: A magnetic data recording system that can directly measure soft underlayer spacing of a perpendicular magnetic write head during operation. The soft underlayer spacing of the magnetic write head can be determined by measuring the magnetic inductance of the write head. The inductance of the write head varies with changes in the distance between the write pole and the soft underlayer of the magnetic medium. By connecting the write head with magnetic inductance measuring circuitry, the soft underlayer spacing can be constantly monitored during operation of the magnetic data recording system. The system can also include active fly height control such as a thermal fly height control capability. By directly measuring the soft underlayer spacing in real time during use of the data recording system, the actively fly height controlling features can be operated efficiently to precisely maintain a desired spacing between the write pole and the soft underlayer of the magnetic medium.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording. The method allows the write head to be formed with a write pole having a concave trailing edge. The method further allows the amount of concavity of the trailing edge to be accurately and carefully controlled both within a wafer and between wafers. A write pole is formed using a mask that includes a hard mask, a RIEable layer and an endpoint detection layer. A layer of non-magnetic material (ALD layer) h deposited, and then, an ion milling process is used to remove a portion of the ALD layer disposed over the write pole and mask. A reactive ion etch process is performed to remove the RIEable layer leaving the ALD layer to form non-magnetic side walls with upper portions that extend above the write pole.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a main pole and return poles that are substantially coplanar. The write head includes a main pole, two return poles and a connecting stud that are all formed as a single layer in a single deposition and patterning step. The coplanar main and return poles lie in a plane parallel to the cross-track direction. The two return poles are thus spaced from the main pole in the cross-track direction. The main pole includes a write pole connected to it but lying in a plane spaced in the along-the-track direction from the plane of the main pole. The write head includes a helical coil wrapped around the main pole. The magnetic flux path is from the write pole to the disk recording layer in a data track aligned with the write pole, to the disk underlayer beneath the recording layer, through the underlayer to data tracks spaced cross-track from the data track aligned with the write pole, and back through the return poles.

Abstract: A recording head is disclosed that includes electrical pads on multiple surfaces. The recording head includes a substrate portion abutting a deposited portion. The deposited portion includes an air bearing surface (ABS) (or bottom surface), an end surface, and at least one other surface. The end surface is the surface traditionally used by head designers for electrical pads. In accord with the invention, one or more electrical pads are included on the other surfaces of the deposited portion (i.e., a surface other than the end surface). Electrical pads may also be included on the end surface.