Abstract: A method of conditioning a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate for enhanced surface adhesion accomplished by exposing an LCP substrate to oxygen plasma. The plasma will chemically alter and modify the LCP substrate surface to promote increased adhesion of metal and subsequent LCP layers during lamination. Lamination is accomplished while dwelling under the melt temperature of the LCP substrate itself. A further method is disclosed of detecting impurities modified or deposited onto the LCP surface during plasma treatment.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a magnetic head for a disk drive. The methods include the steps of depositing a first non-magnetic spacer layer, depositing a plating seed layer on the first non-magnetic spacer layer and plating at least one side shield and a pole tip layer on the plating seed layer, each of the at least one side shield and the pole tip layer separated by a trench. Then the method includes depositing a first non-magnetic material in the trench using ion-beam assisted deposition and planarizing using a chemical-mechanical polishing step.

Abstract: A method for forming a polished facet between an edge and a face of a sample, involves removing a first portion of the sample by directing an ion beam onto the edge adjacent the first portion along an ion beam axis to leave the polished facet. The ion beam axis lies on an ion beam plane oriented at a glancing incident angle, preferably from 1° to 30°, to a sample plane defined by and parallel to the first face. The ion beam is directed to flow from the edge towards the first face. Also disclosed is a sample preparation apparatus comprising a chamber adapted for evacuation with a sample holder adapted to hold a sample comprising a first face bounded by an edge, and an ion gun arranged to direct an ion beam along an ion beam axis towards the sample. The sample holder is configurable to position the sample relative to the ion beam such that a first portion of the sample is removable by the ion beam to leave a polished facet between the edge and the first face of said sample.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a write pole and a trailing wrap around magnetic shield, and having a non-magnetic step layer and a non-magnetic bump to provide additional spacing between the write pole and the trailing wrap around shield at a location removed from the air bearing surface. A magnetic write pole material is deposited on a substrate and a non-magnetic step layer is deposited over the write pole. A reactive ion milling can he used to pattern the non-magnetic step layer to have a front edge that is located a desired distance from an air hearing surface. A patterning and ion milling process is then performed to define a write pole, and then a layer of alumina is deposited and ion milled to from a tapered, non-magnetic bump at the front the non-magnetic step layer.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetic transducer is described. The method and system define a magnetoresistive sensor in a track width direction, provide hard bias material(s) adjacent to the sensor in the track width direction, and provide sacrificial capping layer(s) on a portion of the hard bias material(s). The sacrificial capping layer(s) have a first height in a stripe height direction. The method and system also provide a mask for defining a stripe height of the sensor. The mask covers at least part of the sensor and has a second height in the stripe height direction. The second height is less than the first height. The method and system define the stripe height of the sensor while the mask covers the sensor. The sacrificial capping layer(s) are configured to prevent removal of the portion of the hard bias material(s) while the stripe height is defined.

Abstract: A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT) for energy assisted magnetic recording is disclosed. A structure comprising an NFT metal layer and a first hardmask layer over the NFT metal layer is provided A first patterned hardmask is formed from the first hardmask layer, the first patterned hardmask disposed over a disk section and a pin section of the NFT to be formed. An etch process is performed on the NFT metal layer via the first patterned hardmask, the etch process forming the NFT having the disk section and the pin section.

Abstract: A method of fabricating media comprises forming recording media on a substrate. An overcoat is deposited on the recording media opposite the substrate. The overcoat has a first surface finish. The overcoat is etched to remove material and provide the overcoat with a second surface finish that is smoother than the first surface finish. The depositing and etching may occur sequentially in an in-situ, dry vacuum process. The second surface finish may not be mechanically processed after etching to further planarize the overcoat.

Abstract: A process for forming an array of irregularities or features that are submicron-size in height and that have a characteristic lateral dimension that is micron- or submicron-size, over a surface of a material by reactive-ion etching, the process including: supplying the material with a thickness at least equal to 100 nm, the material being a solid hybrid material that includes: a simple silicon oxide or a mixed silicon oxide, most of the oxides in the case of a mixed oxide being silicon oxide, an oxide molar percentage in the material being at least 40%; and a species, of a different nature to the silicon of the oxide, a molar percentage of the species in the material ranging from 1 mol % or even up to 50 mol % while remaining below the percentage of the silicon oxide, at least most of the species having a largest characteristic dimension smaller than 50 nm, optionally heating the hybrid material before the etching; structuring the surface of the hybrid material, without masking, with etching that lasts less t

Abstract: A process for forming an array of irregularities or features that are submicron-size in height and that have a characteristic lateral dimension that is micron- or submicron-size, over a surface of a material, by ion erosion, the process including: supplying the material with a thickness at least equal to 100 nm, the material being a solid hybrid material that includes: a simple oxide or a mixed oxide of one or more elements, an oxide molar percentage in the material being at least 40%; and a species, of a different nature to the one or more elements of the oxide, a molar percentage of the species in the material ranging from 6 mol % up to 50 mol % while remaining below the percentage of the oxide, most of the species having a largest characteristic dimension smaller than 50 nm, optionally heating the hybrid material before the erosion; structuring the surface of the hybrid material with an erosion that lasts less than one hour over an erosion area greater than 1 cm2, until the array of features is formed, the

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a dry etching mask. A plurality of aluminum oxide films are sequentially sputtered on a material to be dry etched in such a manner that etching rate with respect to reactive ion etching increases toward a lower layer. On a laminated film of the plurality of aluminum oxide films, there is formed a first mask that has etching resistance with respect to the reactive ion etching. Reactive ion etching is performed from above the first mask to form a second mask of the laminated film.

Abstract: This etching method comprises the steps of forming first and second hard masks made of materials different from each other successively on a magnetoresistive film; forming a resist having a lower face opposing a front face of the second hard mask, a space being interposed between the front face and lower face; dry-etching the second hard mask by using the resist as a mask; etching the first hard mask by using the etched second hard mask; and etching the magnetoresistive film by using the first hard mask.

Abstract: In a method for processing a nanotube, a vapor is condensed to a solid condensate layer on a surface of the nanotube and then at least one selected region of the condensate layer is locally removed by directing a beam of energy at the selected region. The nanotube can be processed with at least a portion of the solid condensate layer maintained on the nanotube surface and thereafter the solid condensate layer removed. Nanotube processing can include, e.g., depositing a material layer on an exposed nanotube surface region where the condensate layer was removed. After forming a solid condensate layer, an electron beam can be directed at a selected region along a nanotube length corresponding to a location for cutting the nanotube, to locally remove the condensate layer at the region, and an ion beam can be directed at the selected region to cut the nanotube at the selected region.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for low-temperature plasma immersion processing of a variety of workpieces using accelerated ions, wherein low-temperature plasma is distributed around a cylindrical workpiece placed in a chamber, the workpiece is enclosed with a housing including a multi-slot extracting electrode to isolate the workpiece from plasma, and a negative potential sufficient to induce sputtering is applied to the workpiece and the electrode, so that ions from plasma are accelerated within the sheath formed between the extracting electrode and plasma, pass through the slot part of the electrode and bombard the workpiece, thus polishing the surface of the workpiece. This apparatus and method is effective for surface smoothing to ones of nm of large cylindrical substrates particularly substrates for micro or nanopattern transfer.

Abstract: A method for rapid switching between operating modes with differing beam currents in a charged particle system is disclosed. Many FIB milling applications require precise positioning of a milled pattern within a region of interest (RoI). This may be accomplished by using fiducial marks near the RoI, wherein the FIB is periodically deflected to image these marks during FIB milling. Any drift of the beam relative to the RoI can then be measured and compensated for, enabling more precise positioning of the FIB milling beam. It is often advantageous to use a lower current FIB for imaging since this may enable higher spatial resolution in the image of the marks. For faster FIB milling, a larger beam current is desired. Thus, for optimization of the FIB milling process, a method for rapidly switching between high and low current operating modes is desirable.

Abstract: Etch assisting agents for focused ion beam (FIB) etching of copper for circuit editing of integrated circuits both prevent loss of adjacent dielectric due to sputtering by the ion beam, and render sputtered re-deposited copper on adjacent surfaces non-conductive to avoid electrical short circuits. The agents are characterized by having an N—N (N being Nitrogen) bonding in their molecules and boiling points between about 70° C. and about 220° C., and include hydrazine and water solutions, hydrazine derivatives, NitrosAmine derivatives saturated with two hydrocarbon groups selected from Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl and Butyl, NitrosAmine related compounds, and Nitrogen Tetroxide. Preferred agents are Hydrazine monohydrate (HMH), HydroxyEthylHydrazine (HEH), CEH, BocMH, BocMEH, NDMA, NDEA, NMEA, NMPA, NEPA, NDPA, NMBA, NEBA, NPYR, NPIP, NMOR and Carmustine, alone or in combination with Nitrogen Tetroxide. The agents are effective for etching copper in high aspect ratio (deep) holes.

Abstract: A method and system for fabricating a magnetic transducer is described. The transducer has a device region, a field region, and a magnetoresistive stack. The method and system include providing a hard mask on the magnetoresistive stack. The hard mask is inorganic and includes a sensor portion and a line frame. The sensor portion covers a first portion of the magnetoresistive stack corresponding to a magnetoresistive structure. The line frame covers a second portion of the magnetoresistive stack in the device region. The method and system include defining the magnetoresistive structure in a track width direction using the hard mask and providing at least one hard bias material after the magnetoresistive structure is defined. A first portion of the hard bias material(s) is substantially adjacent to the magnetoresistive structure in the track width direction. The method and system also include removing a second portion of the hard bias material(s).

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium includes forming patterns having protrusions and recesses of a ferromagnetic material onto a recording track section and a servo section on a substrate, forming a flattening film, a top surface of which is higher than that of the protrusion of the ferromagnetic material, onto the ferromagnetic material, and performing ion beam etching onto the flattening film up to a top surface of the protrusion of the ferromagnetic material, and determining an end point of flattening etching on the basis of a change in the total number of incident particles by means of an ion counter installed so as to be at an angle ? with respect to a perpendicular direction to the substrate in accordance with a material of the flattening film.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for forming a patterned material layer on a structure, by condensing a vapor to a solid condensate layer on a surface of the structure and then localized removal of selected regions of the condensate layer by directing an ion beam at the selected regions, exposing the structure at the selected regions. A material layer is then deposited on top of the solid condensate layer and the exposed structure at the selected regions. Then the solid condensate layer and regions of the material layer that were deposited on the solid condensate layer are removed, leaving a patterned material layer on the structure.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in an apparatus including a substrate holder which holds the substrate, an ion source which emits an ion beam, a neutralizer which emits electrons, and a shutter which is arranged between a space in which the ion source and the neutralizer are arranged and a space in which the substrate holder is arranged, and configured to shield the ion beam traveling toward the substrate, includes adjusting an amount of electrons which are emitted by the neutralizer and reach the substrate holder during movement of the shutter.

Abstract: A method for protecting a thin film structure including fabricating a plurality of island structures in a recording gap of a magnetic recording head, exposing a substantial portion of the plurality of island structures by removing at least a portion of the surrounding recording gap material via at least one etching process, including ion milling, coating the magnetic recording head containing the plurality of island structures with a coating material, including silicon nitride or aluminum oxide, and removing at least a portion of the coating material via a removal process, including chemical-mechanical polishing or lapping, to expose an uppermost region of at least a portion of said plurality of island structures.

Abstract: A PVD coating is disclosed, and in particular a nanoscale multilayer superlattice PVD coating comprising high hardness, a low friction coefficient and increased chemical inertness. The multilayer coating comprises a repeating bilayer represented by (VxMe(i-x))CyN(i-y)/(MezV(1-z))CyN(i-y) where 0.1?x?0.9; 0.01<y<0.99 and 0.1?z?0.9 and Me is a substantially pure metal or a metal alloy. The composition of the coating through the layers alternates from layer to layer according to a V-rich layer and a Me-rich layer modulated sequence. Vanadium is incorporated within the layer composition and has been found to act as a lubricating agent during sliding wear. Carbon, also incorporated within the coating, serves to further stabilize the friction coefficient thereby increasing the chemical inertness between cutting tool and workpiece material.

Abstract: An improved method of controlling topographical variations when milling a cross-section of a structure, which can be used to reduce topographical variation on a cross-section of a write-head in order to improve the accuracy of metrology applications. Topographical variation is reduced by using a protective layer that comprises a material having mill rates at higher incidence angles that closely approximate the mill rates of the structure at those higher incidence angles. Topographical variation can be intentionally introduced by using a protective layer that comprises a material having mill rates at higher incidence angles that do not closely approximate the mill rates of the structure at those higher incidence angles.

Abstract: An ion beam system includes a grid assembly having a substantially elliptical pattern of holes to steer an ion beam comprising a plurality of beamlets to generate an ion beam, wherein the ion current density profile of a cross-section of the ion beam is non-elliptical. The ion current density profile may have a single peak that is symmetric as to one of the two orthogonal axes of the cross-section of the ion beam. Alternatively, the single peak may be asymmetric as to the other of the two orthogonal axes of the cross-section of the ion beam. In another implementation, the ion current density profile may have two peaks on opposite sides of one of two orthogonal axes of the cross-section. Directing the ion beam on a rotating destination work-piece generates a substantially uniform rotationally integrated average ion current density at each point equidistant from the center of the destination work-piece.

Abstract: A three-dimensional milling method and apparatus is disclosed for milling micrometre and a nanometre scale three-dimensional structures. The apparatus includes an ion column operable to generate a milling beam onto a substrate held on an instrument stage. A patterning computer is operable to control the ion column to generate varying ion beam and/or dwell times or to produce a plurality of milling passes, in which subsequent passes overlap previous passes at least partially to create three-dimensional structures. Optionally, an SEM column may be provided.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a processing method for manufacturing a highly flat and highly smooth glass substrate with good productivity. A highly flat and highly smooth glass substrate is obtained with good productivity by processing of a glass substrate, which comprises a step of measuring the surface shape of the glass substrate prior to processing, a step of processing the surface of the substrate by changing a processing condition for each site (first processing step), and a step of finish-polishing the surface of the glass substrate that has been subjected to the first processing step (second processing step).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to provide a method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording head including a main magnetic pole having a width that does not generally vary. According to one embodiment, a magnetic film, a first inorganic mask film, an organic film, a second inorganic mask film, and a resist pattern are formed in this order. Reactive ion etching (RIE) is performed using the resist pattern as a mask to etch the second inorganic mask film and the organic film and form a mask for the subsequent step. A flow rate of an Ar gas is then controlled, and ion milling is performed, to correct a difference between the width of the mask located at the central portion of the wafer and the width of the mask located at the outer peripheral portion of the wafer. The magnetic film is processed to have a uniform track width. Ion milling is then performed to form the main magnetic pole having an inverted trapezoidal shape.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a membrane having a tapered pore, a polymeric membrane having a tapered pore, and uses of such polymeric membrane are disclosed. The membrane includes apertures of increasing diameter which are aligned with each other to form the tapered pore.

Abstract: In a method of machining a substrate by an ion beam, the ion beam is guided by an orifice plate formed at least partly of carbon-containing material. Between the orifice plate and the substrate, an educt that is reactive with carbon is guided such that carbon released from the orifice plate by the ion beam oxidizes. An ion beam device for machining a substrate includes an ion beam source and at least one orifice plate, disposed between the ion beam source and the substrate, for adjusting a cross section of and guiding the ion beam. The orifice plate is formed of carbon-containing material. A delivery unit, for delivering an educt that is reactive with carbon, is disposed such that the educt can be guided between the orifice plate and the substrate, so that carbon released from the orifice plate by the ion beam oxidizes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing and removing nanoscale conductors. A magneto-optical trap ion source (MOTIS) creates a beam of focused metal ions that either deposit directly at low energy (<0.5 keV) or sputter material away at high energy (>2 keV). By scanning the beam, layers of material may be built up into a desired pattern. By employing a MOTIS as the source of ions for the beam, and then directing that beam through an appropriate ion-optical column, isotopically pure samples may be deposited into patterns with nanoscale feature sizes. The ability to quickly remove material, and deposit isotopically pure metals is desirable, for instance, during the circuit edit stage of integrated circuit manufacture.

Abstract: Providing a piezoelectric vibrating reed which is capable of decreasing variation in the amount of etching residue as much as possible and suppressing influence of vibration loss on the vibration characteristics as much as possible.

Abstract: Using a beam of xenon ions together with a suitable mask, a MTJ stack is ion milled until a part of it, no more than about 0.1 microns thick, has been removed so that a pedestal, having sidewalls comprising a vertical section that includes all of the free layer, has been formed. This is followed by formation of the longitudinal bias and conductive lead layers in the usual way. Using xenon as the sputtering gas enables the point at which milling is terminated to be more precisely controlled.

Abstract: In a general aspect, a system includes a plurality of diamond nanowires disposed on the surface of a diamond substrate, at least some of the nanowires including a color center. The system also includes a light source configured to illuminate at least one of the plurality of nanowires with excitation light at a wavelength corresponding to an excitation wavelength of the color center included in the illuminated nanowire; and an optical receiver configured to receive a fluorescence emitted from the color center included in the illuminated nanowire in response to the excitation light.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for sharpening the tip of an electrical conductor. The methods of the invention are capable of producing tips with an apex radius of curvature less than 2 nm. The methods of the invention are based on simultaneous direction of ionized atoms towards the apex of a previously sharpened conducting tip and application of an electric potential difference to the tip. The sign of the charge on the ions is the same as the sign of the electric potential. The methods of the invention can be used to sharpen metal wires, metal wires tipped with conductive coatings, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, semiconducting nanowires, and semiconductors in other forms.

Abstract: A method for milling of a workpiece of inert material by nanodroplet beam sputtering includes the steps of providing a liquid; electrohydrodynamically atomizing the liquid to form charged nanodroplets; and directing the atomized charged nanodroplets onto the workpiece to selectively remove material. The method is used for broad-beam milling the workpiece of inert material, for precision micromachining and/or for three dimensionally profiling organic samples via secondary ion mass spectrometry. The liquid is electrosprayed in a cone-jet mode in a vacuum and average nanodroplet diameter, nanodroplet velocity, and molecular energy of the nanodroplets is adjusted by changing liquid flow rate and the acceleration voltage applied to the ionic liquid as it is atomized. Apparatus for performing the method are also included embodiments.

Abstract: A method of forming an inorganic alignment film made substantially of an inorganic material on a base substrate is provided comprising a milling process of irradiating ion beams onto the surface of the base substrate, on which the inorganic alignment film is to be formed, from a direction inclined at a predetermined angle ?b with respect to a direction vertical to the surface, and a film-forming process of forming the inorganic alignment film on the base substrate onto which the ion beams are irradiated. In the milling process, the predetermined angle ?b is preferably 2° or more. In the milling process, an acceleration voltage of the ion beams during the irradiation of the ion beams is preferably 400 to 1400 V.

Abstract: A main pole layer having at least a leading taper and trimmed pole tip portion is described. The leading taper increases head field up to ?15000 Oe even for narrow track widths approaching 50 nm. For MAMR applications, a STO and trailing shield are sequentially formed on a trailing pole tip side. Furthermore, full side shields may be added to reduce fringing field. Another embodiment involves including both of a leading taper and trailing taper at the pole tip where leading taper angle is between 20° and 60° and trailing taper angle is from 10° to 45°. A method is provided for forming various embodiments of the present invention. A key feature is that milling depth at an effective neck height distance is greater than or equal to the pole tip thickness. A self aligned STO may be formed by the same ion milling step that defines track width.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium is provided, which include: forming a magnetic layer on the surface of a nonmagnetic substrate; forming a groove in which a nonmagnetic section is formed by etching a portion corresponding to a formation region of the nonmagnetic section in the magnetic layer and a magnetic recording section formed of the magnetic layer; applying a resin having an active energy ray curable functional group to the surface of the magnetic recording section so as to fill the groove; pressing a plate material against the resin so that the smooth surface of the plate material is in contact with the surface of the resin to make the surface of the resin smooth; removing the plate material from the resin; and forming the nonmagnetic section in the groove by etching and removing a portion located above the surface of the magnetic recording section in the resin having a smooth surface.

Abstract: A magnetic head produced at low ambient temperatures that comprise a crystalline alumina layer for increasing the durability of the head is provided. According to one embodiment, a magnetic head for at least one of reading and writing data on to a magnetic data storage media. The magnetic head comprises a substrate, an at least partially crystalline alumina layer formed on the substrate, at least one of a write transducer and a read transducer formed on the substrate, and a surface for engaging the magnetic data storage media. In another embodiment, a method for forming an at least partially crystalline alumina film. The method comprises providing a substrate, and depositing alumina onto the substrate at an ambient temperature to form the at least partially crystalline alumina film.

Abstract: A process (and the structure resulting therefrom) is described for manufacturing a magnetic write head in which there is no physical interface between the first and second trailing shields. This is achieved by the introduction of a sacrificial layer immediately after the top yoke plating has been done and its photoresist mold has been stripped.

Abstract: Provided are a master recording medium and a method of manufacturing the master recording medium. The master recording medium includes: a plate; and a magnetic layer which is formed on the plate for magnetically transferring of a servo pattern that is to be formed on a magnetic recording medium. The method of manufacturing a master recording medium includes: engraving a polymer layer by nano imprinting to form an engraved pattern corresponding to a servo pattern to be formed on a magnetic recording medium; forming a magnetic layer which fills in the engraved pattern of the polymer layer; forming a back plate layer on the magnetic layer; and performing processing to expose the servo pattern on a surface of the magnetic layer that is opposite a surface of the magnetic layer on which the back plate layer is formed.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for forming a patterned material layer on a structure, by condensing a vapor to a solid condensate layer on a surface of the structure and then localized removal of selected regions of the condensate layer by directing a beam of energy at the selected regions. The structure can then be processed, with at least a portion of the patterned solid condensate layer on the structure surface, and then the solid condensate layer removed. Further there can be stimulated localized reaction between the solid condensate layer and the structure by directing a beam of energy at at least one selected region of the condensate layer.

Abstract: A method and system for backside unlayering a semiconductor device to expose FEOL semiconductor features of the device for subsequent electrical and/or physical probing. A window is formed within a backside substrate layer of the semiconductor. A collimated ion plasma is generated and directed so as to contact the semiconductor only within the backside window via an opening in a focusing shield. This focused collimated ion plasma contacts the semiconductor, only within the window, while the semiconductor is simultaneously being rotated and tilted by a temperature controlled stage, for uniform removal of semiconductor layering such that the semiconductor features, in a location on the semiconductor corresponding to the backside window, are exposed. Backside unlayering of the invention may be enhanced by CAIBE processing.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a oriented substrate for forming an epitaxial thin film thereon, having a more excellent orientation than that of a conventional one and a high strength, and a method for manufacturing the same. The clad textured metal substrate includes a metallic layer and a copper layer bonded to at least one face of the above described metallic layer, wherein the above described copper layer has a {100}<001> cube texture in which a deviating angle ?? of crystal axes satisfies ???6 degree. The substrate has an intermediate layer on the surface of the copper layer, to form the epitaxial thin film thereon.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a carbon nanotube (CNT) of a predetermined length is disclosed. The method includes generating an electric field to align one or more CNTs and severing the one or more aligned CNTs at a predetermined location. The severing each of the aligned CNTs may include etching the predetermined location of the one or more aligned CNTs and applying a voltage across the one or more etched CNTs.

Abstract: An ion beam generator generates plasma in a discharge tank 2, leads out an annular ion beam by a lead-out electrode 7, and deflects the ion beam in an annular center direction by a deflecting electrode 30 to enter a substrate W from the inclined direction to provide uniformity of the incident ion beam to the substrate without increasing the size of the whole apparatus.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head that has a trailing magnetic shield with a tapered write pole trailing edge, a non-magnetic step layer and a Ru bump and an alumina bump formed at the front of the non-magnetic step layer. The process forms a Ru/alumina side wall at the sides of the write pole, such that the Ru side wall is closest to the write pole. The Ru is removed more readily than the alumina during the ion milling that is performed to taper the write pole. This causes the Ru portion of the side wall to taper away from the write pole rather than forming an abrupt step. This tapering prevents dishing of the trailing edge of the write pole for improved write head performance.

Abstract: In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, a method of fabricating a transducer is described. The method comprises providing a transducer over a first surface of a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a thickness. The method further comprises patterning a mask over a second surface. The mask comprises an opening for forming a scribe etch. The method comprises etching through the opening in the mask and into but not through the thickness of the substrate to provide the scribe etch.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a write pole and a trailing wrap around magnetic shield, and having a non-magnetic step layer and a non-magnetic bump to provide additional spacing between the write pole and the trailing wrap around shield at a location removed from the air bearing surface. A magnetic write pole material is deposited on a substrate and a non-magnetic step layer is deposited over the write pole. A reactive ion milling can he used to pattern the non-magnetic step layer to have a front edge that is located a desired distance from an air hearing surface. A patterning and ion milling process is then performed to define a write pole, and then a layer of alumina is deposited and ion milled to from a tapered, non-magnetic bump at the front the non-magnetic step layer.

Abstract: A sample fabricating method of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam at an incident angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the sample, eliminating the peripheral area of a micro sample as a target, turning a specimen stage around a line segment perpendicular to the sample surface as a turn axis, irradiating the sample with the focused ion beam while the incident angle on the sample surface is fixed, and separating the micro sample or preparing the micro sample to be separated. A sample fabricating apparatus for forming a sample section in a sample held on a specimen stage by scanning and deflecting an ion beam, wherein an angle between an optical axis of the ion beam and the surface of the specimen stage is fixed and formation of a sample section is controlled by turning the specimen stage.

Abstract: Provided are a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) probe card and a method for manufacturing the same. The method includes preparing first to nth low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrates each having a via hole, filling each via hole with a via filler conductor or a resistor, stacking the first to nth LTCC substrates and firing the stacked substrates at a temperature of 1,000° C. or less to prepare a LTCC multilayer substrate, forming an insulating layer on the surface of the LTCC multilayer substrate, and forming a thin film conductive line on the surfaces of the insulating layer and the via filler conductor.