Thin-film element having lower layer with narrower width and the thin-film magnetic head having the element

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a thin-film element having a lower layer with a narrower width is provided, which comprises steps of: forming a first film and a second film on the first film; forming a second layer having a width WUP obtained by trimming the second film; forming a mask film having a smaller etching rate than the first film so as to cover the second layer; forming a pattern having a width WTR larger than the width WUP, obtained by collectively trimming the mask film covering the second layer and at least an upper portion of the first film; and forming a first layer having a width WLO smaller than the width WUP or having a portion with a width WLO smaller than the width WUP, obtained by trimming the first film without changing the width WUP of the second layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of substantial parts of one embodiment of a magnetic disk drive apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the HGA according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view schematically illustrating one embodiment of the thin-film magnetic head mounted at the distal end of the HGA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 a shows a cross section along line A-A in FIG. 3 illustrating the configuration of substantial parts of the thin-film magnetic head for longitudinal magnetic recording according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 b shows a cross section along line A-A in FIG. 3 illustrating the configuration of substantial parts of the thin-film magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording according to the present invention;

FIGS. 5 a and 5b show schematic views illustrating the configuration of the end on the head end surface of the electromagnetic coil element in FIG. 4a;

FIG. 5 c shows a schematic view illustrating the configuration of the end on the head end surface of the electromagnetic coil element in FIG. 4b;

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart schematically illustrating one embodiment of a manufacturing method of the thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention;

FIGS. 7 a to 7f show cross-sections taken along line A-A in FIG. 3 for explaining one embodiment of a formation process of the MR effect element and the electromagnetic coil element shown in FIG. 4a;

FIGS. 8 a to 8e show schematic views from the head end surface side, for explaining a formation process of the end of the upper and lower magnetic layers in the electromagnetic coil element in FIG. 4a;

FIGS. 9 a to 9d and FIGS. 10a to 10d show schematic views from the head end surface side, for explaining a formation process of the end of the main magnetic pole layer in the electromagnetic coil element in FIG. 4b;

FIG. 11 shows a graph of the relationship between the skew angle θ_SK of the head and an effective width EW of the write field in the practical examples 1 and 2 and the conventional example; and

FIG. 12 shows a graph of a part of the measured results of effective widths EW with various values of thickness T_LP of the lower magnetic pole layer and various values of ΔW.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a thin-film element having a lower layer with a narrower width, comprising steps of: forming a first film on/above an element formation surface of a substrate;forming a second film on said first film;forming a second layer having a width WUP obtained by trimming said second film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching;forming a mask film having a smaller etching rate than said first film so as to cover said second layer;forming a pattern having a width WTR larger than said width WUP, obtained by collectively trimming said mask film covering said second layer and at least an upper portion of said first film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching; andthereafter or at the same time, forming a first layer having a width WLO smaller than said width WUP or having a portion with a width WLO smaller than said width WUP, obtained by trimming said first film without changing said width WUP of said second layer by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching.

2. A manufacturing method of a thin-film magnetic head comprising steps of: forming: a lower magnetic film; and a write gap film made of a non-magnetic material on said lower magnetic film, on/above an element formation surface of a substrate;forming an upper magnetic pole film on said write gap film;forming an upper magnetic pole layer having a width WUP in a track width direction obtained by trimming said upper magnetic pole film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching;forming a non-magnetic mask film made of a non-magnetic material having a smaller etching rate than said lower magnetic film and said write gap film so as to cover said upper magnetic pole layer;forming a pattern having a width WTR in the track width direction larger than said width WUP, obtained by collectively trimming said non-magnetic mask film, said write gap film and at least an upper portion of said lower magnetic film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching; andthereafter or at the same time, forming: a write gap layer having a width WLO in the track width direction smaller than said width WUP; and a lower magnetic layer having a portion with a width WLO in the track width direction smaller than said width WUP, obtained by trimming said lower magnetic layer and said write gap layer without changing said width WUP of said upper magnetic pole layer by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching.

3. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said lower magnetic film is formed in such a way that a lower yoke film, and a lower magnetic pole film having a higher saturation magnetic flux density than said lower yoke film are sequentially stacked; andsaid lower magnetic layer comprises: a lower yoke layer; and a lower magnetic pole layer having a higher saturation magnetic flux density than said lower yoke layer, formed on said lower yoke layer.

4. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said upper magnetic pole film is formed of: a first upper magnetic pole film; and a second upper magnetic pole film formed on said first upper magnetic pole film by means of a plating method in which said first upper magnetic pole film is used as an electrode; andsaid upper magnetic pole layer comprises: a first upper magnetic pole layer; and a second upper magnetic pole layer formed on said first upper magnetic pole layer.

5. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said non-magnetic mask film is an alumina film, an aluminum nitride film or a silicon carbide film.

6. A manufacturing method of a thin-film magnetic head comprising steps of: forming a lower magnetic film on/above an element formation surface of a substrate;forming: a write gap film made of a non-magnetic material; and an upper magnetic pole film on said write gap film, on said lower magnetic film;forming a write gap layer and an upper magnetic pole layer having a width WUP in a track width direction obtained by trimming said write gap film and said upper magnetic pole film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching;forming a non-magnetic mask film made of a non-magnetic material having a smaller etching rate than said lower magnetic film so as to cover said write gap layer and said upper magnetic pole layer;forming a pattern having a width WTR in the track width direction larger than said width WUP, obtained by collectively trimming said non-magnetic mask film and at least an upper portion of said lower magnetic film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching; andthereafter or at the same time, forming a lower magnetic layer having a portion with a width WLO in the track width direction smaller than said width WUP, obtained by trimming said lower magnetic film without changing said width WUP of said a write gap layer and said upper magnetic pole layer by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching.

7. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein: said lower magnetic film is formed in such a way that a lower yoke film, and a lower magnetic pole film having a higher saturation magnetic flux density than said lower yoke film are sequentially stacked; andsaid lower magnetic layer comprises: a lower yoke layer; and a lower magnetic pole layer having a higher saturation magnetic flux density than said lower yoke layer, formed on said lower yoke layer.

8. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein: said upper magnetic pole film is formed of: a first upper magnetic pole film; and a second upper magnetic pole film formed on said first upper magnetic pole film by means of a plating method in which said first upper magnetic pole film is used as an electrode; andsaid upper magnetic pole layer comprises: a first upper magnetic pole layer; and a second upper magnetic pole layer formed on said first upper magnetic pole layer.

9. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said non-magnetic mask film is an alumina film, an aluminum nitride film or a silicon carbides film.

10. A manufacturing method of a thin-film magnetic head comprising steps of: forming a main magnetic pole film on a first non-magnetic layer formed on/above an element formation surface of a substrate;forming a photoresist pattern film used as a mask on said main magnetic pole film;forming a first pattern having a width WTE in a track width direction, obtained by collectively trimming said photoresist pattern film and at least an upper portion of said main magnetic pole film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching;forming a non-magnetic mask film made of a non-magnetic material having a smaller etching rate than said main magnetic pole film so as to cover said first pattern;forming a second pattern having a width WPA larger than said width WTE, in a track width direction, obtained by collectively trimming said main magnetic pole film and a non-magnetic mask film surrounding said main magnetic pole film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching at least until an upper surface of said first non-magnetic layer is reached;thereafter or at the same time, forming: side surfaces, having a bevel angle, of said main magnetic pole layer; and a lowest surface of the main magnetic pole layer having a width WLE, smaller than said width WTE, in a track width direction, by undercutting said second pattern without changing an upper portion having said width WTE of said main magnetic pole film by means of ion beam etching or reactive ion etching;forming a second non-magnetic film so as to cover the undercut second pattern; andforming a main magnetic pole layer surrounded by a first and a second non-magnetic layers by polishing said second non-magnetic film and an upper portion of said main magnetic pole film.

11. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said non-magnetic mask film is an alumina film, an aluminum nitride film or a silicon carbide film.

12. A thin-film magnetic head comprising an electromagnetic coil element including: a lower yoke layer formed on/above an element formation surface of a substrate;a lower magnetic pole layer formed on an end portion on a head end surface side of said lower yoke layer;a first upper magnetic pole layer;a second upper magnetic pole layer formed on said first upper magnetic pole layer;an upper yoke layer, an end portion of which on the head end surface side is positioned on said second upper magnetic pole layer;a write gap layer an end portion of which on the head end surface side is sandwiched between said lower magnetic pole layer and said first upper magnetic pole layer; anda write coil layer formed so as to pass at least between said lower yoke layer and said upper yoke layer,saturation magnetic flux densities of said lower magnetic pole layer and said first upper magnetic pole layer being at least 2.0 tesla or more,a width WLO of said lower magnetic pole layer in a track width direction being smaller than a width WUP of said first upper magnetic pole layer and said second upper magnetic pole layer in a track width direction, anda half of a difference between said width WUP and said width WLO, that is, ΔW/2=0.5(WUP−WLO) (micrometer), satisfying a relationship of: TLP≦(42LG·tan θSK)−1·(a(ΔW/2)3+b(ΔW/2)2+c(ΔW/2)+d),

13. A head gimbal assembly comprising: a thin-film magnetic head comprising an electromagnetic coil element including:a lower yoke layer formed on/above an element formation surface of a substrate;a lower magnetic pole layer formed on an end portion on a head end surface side of said lower yoke layer;a first upper magnetic pole layer;a second upper magnetic pole layer formed on said first upper magnetic pole layer;an upper yoke layer, an end portion of which on the head end surface side is positioned on said second upper magnetic pole layer;a write gap layer an end portion of which on the head end surface side is sandwiched between said lower magnetic pole layer and said first upper magnetic pole layer; anda write coil layer formed so as to pass at least between said lower yoke layer and said upper yoke layer,saturation magnetic flux densities of said lower magnetic pole layer and said first upper magnetic pole layer being at least 2.0 tesla or more,a width WLO of said lower magnetic pole layer in a track width direction being smaller than a width WUP of said first upper magnetic pole layer and said second upper magnetic pole layer in a track width direction, anda half of a difference between said width WUP and said width WLO, that is, ΔW/2=0.5(WUP−WLO) (micrometer), satisfying a relationship of: TLP≦(42LG·tan θSK)−1·(a(ΔW/2)3+b(ΔW/2)2+c(ΔW/2)+d),

14. A magnetic disk drive apparatus comprising: at least one head gimbal assembly comprising:a thin-film magnetic head comprising an electromagnetic coil element including:a lower yoke layer formed on/above an element formation surface of a substrate;a lower magnetic pole layer formed on an end portion on a head end surface side of said lower yoke layer;a first upper magnetic pole layer;a second upper magnetic pole layer formed on said first upper magnetic pole layer;an upper yoke layer, an end portion of which on the head end surface side is positioned on said second upper magnetic pole layer;a write gap layer an end portion of which on the head end surface side is sandwiched between said lower magnetic pole layer and said first upper magnetic pole layer; anda write coil layer formed so as to pass at least between said lower yoke layer and said upper yoke layer,saturation magnetic flux densities of said lower magnetic pole layer and said first upper magnetic pole layer being at least 2.0 tesla or more,a width WLO of said lower magnetic pole layer in a track width direction being smaller than a width WUP of said first upper magnetic pole layer and said second upper magnetic pole layer in a track width direction, anda half of a difference between said width WUP and said width WLO, that is, ΔW/2=0.5(WUP−WLO) (micrometer), satisfying a relationship of: TLP≦(42LG·tan θSK)−1·(a(ΔW/2)3+b(ΔW/2)2+c(ΔW/2)+d),