Abstract: A magnetic head for use in a perpendicular recording system having a novel shield structure that provides exceptional magnetic shielding from extraneous magnetic fields such as from a write coil, shaping layer or return pole of the write head. The magnetic head includes a write pole, a return pole and a magnetic shield that is magnetically connected with the return pole near the ABS and extends toward the write pole. The shield is formed with a notch at its edge closest to the write pole. The notch assures adequate physical, magnetic, and electrical separation between the write pole and the shield, while allowing un-notched portions of the shield to provide additional magnetic shielding.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to structures of a recording head having a winged design for reducing corner stray magnetic fields. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a magnetic recording head comprising a plurality of components. In embodiments of the present invention at least one of the plurality of components comprises a surface exposed to an air bearing surface when in operation with a recording medium. The surface exposed to the air bearing surface comprises notched edges for constraining corner stray magnetic fields associated therewith.

Abstract: A magnetic write pole having a structure that prevents thermally induced pole tip protrusion. The write head has a return pole with a magnetic pedestal formed at the air bearing surface (ABS) and a back gap at an end opposite the ABS. An electrically conductive write coil having a plurality of turns passes over the return pole. A fill layer of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, such as alumina is disposed between the coil and the pedestal, and may extend over the top of the coil to the back gap. A photoresist coil insulation layer may be provided between the turns of the coil to insulate the turns of the coil from one another. The photoresist coil insulation layer can also extend to the back gap. A write pole, formed above the return pole and coil is magnetically connected with the back gap layer and return pole by a magnetic shaping layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording having a write pole with a very narrow track width and well controlled critical dimensions. The write pole is formed by depositing an electrically conductive seed layer over a substrate, and then depositing a photo resist layer over the seed layer. The photo resist layer is photolithographically exposed and developed to form an opening or trench in the photoreist layer, the opening defining the pattern of the write pole. A magnetic material is then plated into the opening in the photoresist layer. The photo resist layer can then be removed by a chemical lift off, and portions of the seed layer that are not covered by the write pole can be removed by ion milling.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a write pole for a perpendicular magnetic write head. The method includes forming a mask structure over a full film layer of magnetic write pole material. A layer of hard mask material such as conformally deposited alumina is then deposited full film over the mask and write pole material. An ion mill, such as in an Ar or CHF3 chemistry is then used to preferentially remove horizontally disposed portions of the alumina layer (hard mask layer), thereby forming vertical hard mask walls at the sides of the mask structure. An ion mill is then used to form the write pole, with the alumna side walls providing excellent masking for forming well defined write pole edges. A relatively gentle clean up process can then be performed to remove the remaining mask material and side walls.

Abstract: A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording having a write pole with a concave trailing edge. The magnetic write pole can have a trapezoidal shape with first and second laterally opposed sides that are further apart at the trailing edge than at the leading edge. The write head may or may not include a magnetic trailing shield, and if a trailing shield is included it is separated from the trailing edge by a non-magnetic write gap layer. The concave trailing edge improves magnetic performance such as by improving the transition curvature. A method for constructing the write head includes forming a magnetic write pole by forming a mask structure over a deposited write pole material, the mask structure having an alumina hard mask and an image transfer layer such as DURAMIDE®. An alumina fill layer is then deposited and a chemical mechanical polish is performed to open up the image transfer layer.

Abstract: A studded trailing shield design and method for manufacture thereof. The studded trailing shield design maintains critical spacing between the trailing shield and the write pole and also maintains critical spacing between the studded, trailing shield connecting structure, even in a head design having read and write elements that are not aligned with one another.

Abstract: A method for independently controlling track width and bevel angle of a write pole tip having a P3 pole tip for perpendicular recording. The method includes establishing the track width in a portion of the P3 layer material. A portion of this portion having the established track width is protected by providing a temporary masking material to make a protected portion. At least one unprotected portion is left exposed to be shaped. This unprotected portion is then beveled to produce at least one beveled portion having a bevel angle. The protected portion produces a rectangular portion which together with the beveled portion produce a hexagonal pole tip. Also a magnetic head having a hexagonal pole tip, and a disk drive having a magnetic head having a hexagonal pole tip.

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 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 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: 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 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 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: Heads for perpendicular recording using a floating-trailing shield are described. The floating-trailing shield is separated from the main pole piece by a layer of non-magnetic material along its entire length and the air bearing surface of the floating-trailing shield is substantially larger than that of the main pole piece. The reluctance between the trailing shield and the underlayer in the recording medium is made so low that both are at the same magnetomotive force (or potential), so that no direct connection is needed between the floating-trailing shield and the yoke. When the head is used in a storage system with a magnetic recording medium with a soft underlayer, the floating-trailing shield is, in effect, magnetically shorted to the return pole piece during recording. In one embodiment the floating-trailing shield wraps around the sides of the main pole piece.

Abstract: A magnetic structure for use in a perpendicular magnetic write head that prevents magnetic domain formation and reduces magnetic remanence in the structure. The magnetic structure includes magnetic layers sandwiched between thin non-magnetic layers. Each of the magnetic layers includes a relatively thicker layer of CoFe sandwiched between relatively thinner layers of NiFe.

Abstract: In a perpendicular recording head, a notch is formed in the top write gap at a location on top of the main pole. A perpendicular head with this notched top write gap structure has less transition curvature and better writability while reducing the adjacent track interference (ATI). Also, the process used to fabricate the head ensures that the trailing edge (writing edge) of the main pole is extremely flat with no corner rounding.