Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic read sensor at very narrow track widths. The method uses an amorphous carbon mask layer to pattern the sensor by ion milling, rather than a mask constructed of a material such as photoresist or DURIMIDE® which can bend over during ion milling at very narrow track widths. By using the amorphous carbon layer as the masking layer, the trackwidth can be very small, while avoiding this bending over of the mask that has been experienced with prior art methods. In addition, the track-width can be further reduced by using a reactive ion etching to further reduce the width of the amorphous carbon mask prior to patterning the sensor. The method also allows extraneous portions of the side insulation layer and hard bias layer to be removed above the sensor by a light CMP process.

Abstract: Provided is an optical pickup device capable of preventing a soldering work from physically damaging any part of a housing of the optical pickup device. In the optical pickup device to be provided, a circuit board fixed to an LD holder and a circuit board covering a housing from below are connected via a solder joint. An inner-side part of an upper-end portion of an external sidewall of the housing located near the connecting position is cut away to form a cut surface. When a soldering iron is used to form the solder joint to connect the two circuit boards, the cut surface prevents the soldering iron from touching the external sidewall and thereby preventing this part of the external sidewall from being damaged by the soldering iron.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical pickup device and a method of manufacturing the optical pickup device that allows an optical device to come to be held after one principal surface of a housing is covered with a covering plate. Most of the principal surface of the optical pickup device provided with the objective lens is covered with the cover. A hole is provided by partially removing the cover at a portion corresponding to the position where a light emitting device is to be disposed. In this manner, even after the housing is covered with the cover, the optical device can be touched through the hole.