JP2003257007A - Yoke type mr head, its manufacturing method and magnetic recording/reproducing device using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure of a highly reliable yoke type MR head wherein no distortion or deterioration occurs in a reproducing waveform, and no reduction occurs in an output during long-time use, and its manufacturing method. <P>SOLUTION: In the yoke type MR head provided with an MR element in the notched part of a yoke 10, a substrate on which the MR element 11 is formed and a recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14 made of a ferromagnetic material are joined together through a nonmagnetic material 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a yoke type MR head having a magnetoresistive effect element (MR element), and particularly to a magnetic recording medium recorded at high density by sliding in contact with the magnetic recording medium. The present invention relates to a structure of an MR head capable of reproducing the above information, its manufacturing method, and a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, magnetic recording has been highly densified, and a magnetic head manufactured by using a thin film technique has attracted attention. As is well known, attempts are being made to use an MR head also for a magnetic head of a rotary cylinder type magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus such as a VTR or a tape streamer.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a typical structure of the MR element portion of the yoke type MR head. A perspective view of the entire yoke type MR head is shown in FIG. Figure 7
On the recording medium sliding surface 1, the magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic tape or a magnetic disk comes into contact with the MR head. Similarly,
A recording medium such as a magnetic tape or a magnetic disk comes into contact with the MR head on the side surface 1a on the left side of FIG. The magnetic flux from the recording medium is a lower magnetic yoke 10c which is a part of the yoke 10.
And an upper rear magnetic yoke 10b which is a part of the yoke 10.
And an MR element 11 and an upper front magnetic yoke 10a, which is a part of the yoke 10, to guide the magnetic path.
A voltage value is taken out from the resistance change due to the magnetization rotation of the element 11 by the output terminal 12 to which the sense current is applied as shown in FIG. As the detecting element of such a magnetic head, an AMR element using an anisotropic magnetoresistive effect material, a GMR element using a giant magnetoresistive effect, or a TMR element using a tunneling magnetoresistive effect can be used.
In addition, 13 is a substrate, 24 is a recording medium sliding reinforcing material, 15 is a non-magnetic material, 16 is a magnetic gap, 17 is a magnetic separation layer of upper and lower yokes, 18 is a recording medium sliding reinforcing material 24 and a non-magnetic material 15. It is a bonding layer with. Further, the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 24 is not shown in FIG. 6 for simplification. Board 1
3 and the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 24, a hard substrate such as AlTiC, which is a non-magnetic material, is often used in order to reduce wear due to contact sliding with the recording medium.

A method of manufacturing a conventional yoke type MR head will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 8, a bar-shaped substrate 13 made of AlTiC or the like having a mirror-finished surface is prepared. Next, the yoke 10, the MR element 11, the output terminal 12 and the like are sequentially formed on the surface by a thin film forming technique. The thin film forming technology referred to here is film forming technology such as sputtering and CVD, thin film processing technology such as photolithography and ion etching,
Refers to chemical etching technology. In this way, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality (two in FIG. 9) of MR element portions are formed on the substrate. In FIG. 9, the magnetic flux generated from the recording medium is the upper front magnetic yoke 10a, the MR element 11,
The resistance value change due to the magnetization rotation of the MR element 11 guided to the magnetic path formed by the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b and the lower magnetic yoke 10c is extracted from the output terminal 12 as a voltage value. Incidentally, 16 is a magnetic gap.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, a nonmagnetic material 15 such as alumina is formed on the substrate 13 and the MR element portion of FIG. 9 by a thin film forming technique, and then the protrusion 15a is flattened by lapping or the like. Then, as shown in FIG. After this, as shown in FIG. 12, the flattened non-magnetic material 15 and the AlT
The recording medium sliding reinforcing member 24 made of a hard ceramic substrate such as iC is joined and integrated via the joining layer 18. As an example of the bonding layer 18, a thermosetting resin can be used, and the temperature is raised while applying a pressure of about 1 kPa. Note that in FIGS. 8 to 12, the output terminal 30 shown in FIG. 7 is omitted for simplification.

After that, the head chip is completed by cutting at a predetermined head chip core thickness and azimuth angle. After completing the head chip, processing such as base bonding and wiring, and optimizing the contact state between the magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium to realize good reproduction, use a polishing tape or the like to remove the tape sliding surface. Finished curved surface processing is performed and the depth of the magnetic gap portion is set within a certain range, and the yoke type MR head is completed.

[0008]

Such a yoke type M
In the R head, the magnetic flux from the recording medium 40 is applied to the lower magnetic yoke 10c, the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b, the MR element 11, and the upper front magnetic yoke 10 as shown by the solid arrow in FIG.
It is designed to return the magnetic path constituted by a. However, as indicated by the broken line arrow in FIG. 13, the magnetic field leaking from the recording medium 40 may act in the opposite direction to the magnetic field that tries to flow back in the yoke, causing distortion in the reproduction output waveform, or the yoke. There is a case that the reproduction output is deteriorated due to the decrease in the magnetic permeability of the.

The present invention solves the above conventional problems, and provides a structure and a manufacturing method of a highly reliable yoke type MR head which is free from distortion and deterioration of a reproduced waveform and has a small output drop during long-term use. The purpose is to do. Further, the present invention provides a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus equipped with such a head and capable of recording / reproducing information at high density.

[0010]

In order to solve the above problems, a yoke type MR head of the present invention comprises an MR element in a notch portion of the yoke, a substrate on which the MR element is formed and a ferromagnetic material. The recording medium sliding reinforcing material is composed of a non-magnetic material and is joined to the recording medium sliding reinforcing material.

Further, in the method of manufacturing the yoke type MR head of the present invention, the first step of forming the MR element portion on the surface of the mirror-finished substrate by the thin film forming technique and the non-magnetic material on the MR element. The second step of forming, the MR element obtained in the second step, the substrate on which the non-magnetic material is formed, and the recording medium sliding reinforcing material made of a ferromagnetic material are butted against each other, and are bonded and integrated through a bonding layer. It is characterized by having a third step. The present invention also relates to a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus characterized by using the above-mentioned yoke type MR head.

According to the yoke type MR head of the present invention, the method of manufacturing the same, and the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using the same,
It is possible to supply a magnetic head and a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing a large amount of magnetic information with high output from a magnetic recording medium recorded in high density used in a system such as a large capacity digital VTR or a data streamer.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a yoke type M in which an MR element is provided in a notch portion of a yoke.
An R head, which is a yoke type MR head characterized in that a substrate on which an MR element is formed and a recording medium sliding reinforcing material made of a ferromagnetic material are bonded via a non-magnetic material.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is the yoke type MR head according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is a ferromagnetic oxide.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is the yoke type MR head according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is ferrite.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present invention is the yoke type MR head according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is a single crystal ferrite.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the surface orientation of the recording medium sliding reinforcing material in the recording medium sliding surface is approximately (100), and the yoke according to the fourth aspect. Type MR head.

The invention according to claim 6 of the present invention is the yoke type MR head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the thickness of the non-magnetic material is in the range of 0.5 to 20 μm.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the MR element is a spin valve type GMR element and a spin valve type TMR.
7. The yoke type MR head according to claim 1, wherein the yoke type MR head is made of any one of elements.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a first step of forming an MR element portion by a thin film forming technique on a mirror-finished substrate surface and a nonmagnetic material are formed on the MR element. The second step, the MR element obtained in the second step, the substrate on which the non-magnetic material is formed, and the recording medium sliding reinforcing material made of a ferromagnetic material are butted against each other, and are joined and integrated through a joining layer. MR having a step of
It is a method of manufacturing a head.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the MR element, the substrate on which the non-magnetic material is formed, and the recording medium sliding reinforcing material made of a ferromagnetic material are butted against each other and integrated by a bonding layer. 9. The process according to claim 8, wherein, in the step, the substrate on which the non-magnetic material is formed on the MR element is heated at 200 ° C. or lower, the bonding layer is formed, and then the bonding is performed through the bonding layer to perform integration. This is a method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head.

The invention according to claim 10 of the present invention is the method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is a ferromagnetic oxide. .

The eleventh aspect of the present invention is the method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to any one of the eighth to tenth aspects, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is ferrite. .

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the yoke-type MR according to any one of the eighth to eleventh aspects is characterized in that the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is a single crystal ferrite.
It is a method of manufacturing a head.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the surface orientation of the recording medium sliding reinforcing member in the recording medium sliding surface is approximately (100), and the yoke according to the twelfth aspect. Type MR head manufacturing method.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the non-magnetic material is in the range of 0.5 to 20 μm, and the yoke type MR head according to any one of the eighth to thirteenth aspects. Is a manufacturing method.

The invention according to claim 15 of the present invention is the MR
Spin valve type GMR element and spin valve type TM
The method of manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to any one of claims 8 to 14, wherein the yoke type MR head is made of any one of R elements.

A sixteenth aspect of the present invention is a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using the yoke type MR head according to any one of the first to seventh aspects.

A seventeenth aspect of the present invention is a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using a yoke type MR head manufactured by the manufacturing method according to any one of the eighth to fifteenth aspects.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an MR element portion of a yoke type MR head according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 10 denotes a yoke, which includes an upper front yoke 10a, an upper rear yoke 10b, and a lower yoke 10c.
A soft magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability can be used for the upper front magnetic yoke 10a, the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b, and the lower magnetic yoke 10c. Here, a nickel-iron alloy having a thickness of 0.5 micron is used. Reference numeral 11 denotes an MR, which is a magnetoresistive effect element provided at a position surrounded by the upper front yoke 10a, the upper rear yoke 10b, and the lower yoke 10c.
In this embodiment, N is used as the material of the MR element 11.
iFe was used. Reference numeral 15 is a non-magnetic material that holds the yoke 10 and the MR element 11, and 14 is a recording medium sliding reinforcing material made of a ferromagnetic material, which is bonded to the non-magnetic substrate 15 via a bonding layer 18. 16 is a non-magnetic substrate 15 and a lower yoke 10c
In the gap made of silicon dioxide interposed between and, the material used for the gap 16 may be a non-magnetic material, such as alumina or silicon nitride. Reference numeral 17 is a separation layer that magnetically separates the upper front yoke 10a, the upper rear yoke 10b, and the lower yoke 10c.

Although NiFe is used as the material of the MR element 11 in this embodiment, a spin valve type GMR element or a spin valve type TMR element can be used. In order to increase the MR ratio and increase the reproduction output, it is preferable to use a spin valve type GMR element or a spin valve type TMR element.

The operation of the yoke type MR head of the present embodiment having the above structure will be described below.

In FIG. 1, a side surface 1 on the left side as viewed in the drawing
At a, it comes into contact with a recording medium such as a magnetic tape or a magnetic disk, and a magnetic flux from the recording medium flows in. The magnetic flux from the recording medium is lower magnetic yoke 10c, upper rear magnetic yoke 10b, MR element 11, and upper front magnetic yoke 10a.
The magnetization rotation is caused in the MR element 11 in accordance with the inflowing signal magnetic flux, and the resistance value change due to this is taken out as a reproduction voltage by the output terminal to which the sense current is passed. Has become.

Since the yoke type MR head of the present embodiment slides in contact with the magnetic recording medium, it has the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 like the conventional magnetic tape head, and the MR element 1
1 on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 1 and the recording medium sliding reinforcement 14
It is sandwiched between and. In this embodiment, a ferromagnetic material is used as the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14. When the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 is not a ferromagnetic material, an unnecessary magnetic flux (dotted arrow) leaking from the recording medium 40 as shown in FIG. 13 is an effective magnetic flux that tries to flow back in the yoke 10 and the MR element 11. There may be a case where it acts in the opposite direction to (solid arrow).
As in the present embodiment, a ferromagnetic recording medium sliding reinforcement 1
4, the unnecessary magnetic flux (dotted arrow) that tries to flow backward in the yoke 10 among the magnetic fluxes emitted from the N pole side of the recording medium 40 is attracted by the magnetic force of the recording medium sliding reinforcement 14, as shown in FIG. As a result, it does not leak into the yoke 10, passes through the inside of the recording medium sliding reinforcement 14, and returns to the S pole side of the recording medium 40.
Therefore, only the effective magnetic flux remains in the yoke 10 as indicated by the solid line arrow, and the substantial magnetic permeability of the yoke 10 increases to increase M
The characteristics of the R head are improved and the distortion of the output waveform is reduced.

At the relative position between the recording medium 40 and the yoke 10 as shown in FIG. 4, the effective magnetic flux circulates in the yoke 10 as shown by the solid line arrow in the figure, but the magnetization direction of the recording medium 40 and the yoke 10 are different from each other. When the relative position of the
The direction of the effective magnetic flux circulating inside also changes. Specifically, when the relative position in the magnetization direction of the recording medium 40 with respect to the yoke 10 is opposite to the relative position of the recording medium 40 shown in FIG. 4, the effective magnetic flux from the recording medium 40 is The upper front magnetic yoke 10a, the MR element 11, the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b, and the lower magnetic yoke 10c circulate in this order.

Next, the structure of the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14 will be described in detail.

Considering the wear of the head due to the contact sliding of the MR head and the recording medium 40, a ferromagnetic oxide conventionally used as a material for a magnetic tape head requiring abrasion resistance is used as a recording medium sliding reinforcing material. It is preferably used as 14. In particular, a ferrite material is a material having excellent wear resistance among ferromagnetic oxides, such as NiZn ferrite and M
Using nZn ferrite, etc., MR with excellent wear resistance
The head is obtained.

Further, since the wear rate of the ferrite material changes depending on the crystal plane orientation, when polycrystalline ferrite is used, it is caused by the difference in the wear rate between the crystal grains during the sliding contact with the recording medium 40. A step occurs at each crystal grain interface. If the level difference between these particles is large, the contact between the MR head and the recording medium 40 becomes unstable, and the reproduction output may decrease due to spacing loss. In particular, this tendency is remarkable in the coating type tape (MP tape) having a higher polishing power than the metal vapor deposition tape (ME tape).
Therefore, by using the single crystal ferrite, it is possible to obtain a highly reliable MR head in which a spacing loss due to a step between particles does not occur and an output reduction is unlikely to occur. In particular, it is more preferable that the (100) plane having a low wear rate be the sliding surface of the recording medium.

Further, since the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14 is made of a ferromagnetic material, the magnetic flux in the upper front magnetic yoke 10a and the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b is attracted to the magnetic force of the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14. The recording medium sliding reinforcement 14
If it leaks into the inside, there is a possibility that a sufficient magnetic flux does not flow to the MR element 11 and the reproduction output may decrease. However, between the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 and the upper front magnetic yoke 10a and the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b. Since the non-magnetic material 15 is interposed, the magnetic flux in the upper front magnetic yoke 10a and the lower front magnetic yoke 10b is not affected by the magnetic force of the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14, and the magnetic flux is the recording medium sliding reinforcing material. There is no leakage to 14, and it is possible to prevent a reduction in reproduction output.

Next, the structure of the substrate 13 will be described in detail.

Considering the wear of the MR head and the recording medium 40 due to the contact sliding of the recording medium 40, it is preferable that the substrate 13 and the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14 are the same material. By using the same material, an increase in spacing between the MR head and the recording medium 40 due to uneven wear due to a difference in wear rate between the materials and a change in properties of the recording medium sliding surface can be suppressed, and further stable. It is possible to realize the reproduction characteristic. In particular, the substrate 13 is made of a ferromagnetic material, and the lower magnetic yoke 10c and the substrate 13 are
In the case of simplifying the manufacturing process by also using the above, it is preferable to use a ferromagnetic oxide, which is conventionally used as a material for a magnetic tape head requiring abrasion resistance, as a substrate. In particular, a ferrite material is a material having excellent wear resistance among ferromagnetic oxides, and when NiZn ferrite or MnZn ferrite is used, an MR head having excellent wear resistance can be obtained.

Further, since the wear rate of the ferrite material changes depending on the crystal plane orientation, when polycrystalline ferrite is used, it is caused by the difference in the wear rate between the respective crystal grains during the sliding contact with the recording medium 40. A step occurs at each crystal grain interface. When the crystal grains in the vicinity of the MR element 11 are greatly worn, the wear of the crystal grains around the MR element 11 is small, and the step between the grains is large, the reproduction output is reduced due to the spacing loss. In particular, this tendency is remarkable in the coating type tape (MP tape) having a higher polishing power than the metal vapor deposition tape (ME tape). Therefore, by using the single crystal ferrite, it is possible to obtain a highly reliable MR head in which a spacing loss due to a step between particles does not occur and an output reduction is unlikely to occur. In particular, it is more preferable to set the substantially (100) surface, which has a low wear rate, as the recording medium sliding surface.

Next, the structure of the non-magnetic substrate 15 will be described in detail.

If the thickness (d in FIG. 1) of the non-magnetic material 15 between the substrate 13 on which the MR element 11 is formed and the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 made of a ferromagnetic material is too thin, the non-magnetic material 15 will be on top. Since the magnetic flux (solid line arrow in FIG. 4) passing through the front magnetic yoke 10a and the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b leaks to the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14, the reproduction efficiency decreases, so that
A film thickness of 5 μm or more is required. On the contrary, when the non-magnetic material 15 is thick, the internal stress of the non-magnetic material 15 increases, so that separation occurs at the interface of the non-magnetic material and the wear rate of the non-magnetic material 15 and the recording medium sliding reinforcement 14 increases. The difference in level caused by the difference may cause a remarkable reduction in the reproduction output, so the film thickness must be 20 μm or less. Therefore, the thickness of the non-magnetic material 15 is preferably between 0.5 μm and 20 μm.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14 is made of a ferromagnetic material.
An unnecessary magnetic field from the recording medium 40 can be prevented from leaking to the yoke 10, a reproduced waveform is not distorted, reproduction output is high, and a highly reliable yoke type MR head with less output reduction can be obtained.

Further, by forming the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 with a ferromagnetic oxide such as ferrite, an MR head having excellent wear resistance can be obtained.

Further, by constructing the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 of single crystal ferrite, a spacing loss due to a step between particles does not occur, and a highly reliable MR head in which output reduction is unlikely to occur is provided. can get. In particular, it is more preferable to make the (100) plane, which has a slow wear rate and a plane orientation of approximately 100, the sliding surface of the recording medium.

The thickness of the non-magnetic material 15 is 0.5-2.
By setting the range to 0 μm, the upper front magnetic yoke 1
It is possible to prevent the magnetic flux (solid line arrow in FIG. 4) passing through the magnetic field 0a and the upper rear magnetic yoke 10b from leaking to the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 and prevent separation at the interface of the non-magnetic material.

The spin valve type GM is used as the MR element 11.
By using the R element or the spin valve type TMR element, the MR ratio can be increased and the reproduction output can be increased.

(Second Embodiment) A method of manufacturing a yoke type MR head will be described below as a second embodiment of the present invention. The basic manufacturing process is the same as that described with reference to FIGS. In the figure, the first step is the step of forming the MR element portion on the surface of the substrate 13 that has been mirror-finished by the thin film forming technique.
The step of forming the non-magnetic material 15 on the element 11 is a second step, and the MR element 11 obtained in the second step, the substrate 13 on which the non-magnetic material 15 is formed, and a recording medium sliding reinforcement made of a ferromagnetic material. The step of abutting the material 14 and joining and integrating the material 14 via the joining layer 18 is referred to as a third step.

The method of manufacturing the yoke type MR head of this embodiment is different from the conventional method of manufacturing the yoke type head shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 in that a ferromagnetic material is used as the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14. different. In the present embodiment, NiZn
A recording medium sliding reinforcement 14 made of ferrite was used.
Further, in the present embodiment, NiFe is used as the MR element material. As an example of the bonding layer 18, a thermosetting resin was used to increase the temperature while pressurizing at a pressure of about 1 kPa to integrally bond the layers. The heat treatment temperature at this time is determined in consideration of the heat resistance of the MR element 11. When heat treatment is performed at a temperature higher than 200 ° C., diffusion occurs at the interface inside the MR element 11, and deterioration of MR characteristics is observed. Further, when the GMR element or the TMR element is used, the fixed magnetization direction of the pinned layer forming the element may become unstable in addition to diffusion at the interface inside the element, and deterioration of MR characteristics is observed.
Therefore, the heat treatment temperature when the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 made of a ferromagnetic material is integrally bonded via the bonding layer 18 is 2
It is preferably 00 ° C or lower. The lower the heat treatment temperature, the better as long as the bonding strength is not reduced. In the present embodiment, the sample was prepared with the heat treatment temperature set to 200 ° C. and the holding time at 200 ° C. set to 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, but no characteristic deterioration of the MR element 11 was observed. The holding time may be determined in consideration of the bonding strength determined by the thermosetting resin and the productivity.

When the heating temperature, the heating time, and the pressure at the time of pressurization are appropriate, the thickness of the resin layer between the non-magnetic material 15 and the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 is about 100 nm. If the pressure is too small, the thickness of the resin layer becomes large, and the reproduction output may decrease due to the step difference caused by the difference in the abrasion rates of the non-magnetic material 15, the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 and the resin. On the contrary, if the pressure is too large, the MR element 11
The substrate 13 and the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 on which the marks are formed are damaged, resulting in a significant decrease in productivity. Therefore, the pressurizing pressure at the time of joining and unifying is preferably 0.5 kPa to 5 kPa.

Further, the bonding layer 18 formed on the non-magnetic material 15 with a non-uniform thickness leads to a non-uniform bonding layer thickness after bonding and integration. When the bonding material having a high viscosity at room temperature is formed on the non-magnetic material 15, the bonding layer 18 is formed after heating the substrate 13 on which the non-magnetic material 15 is formed on the MR element 11 at 200 ° C. or less in advance. The heat of the substrate 13 reduces the viscosity of the bonding material, and a uniform and thin bonding layer 18 can be provided. As a result, the thickness of the joining layer after joining and unifying becomes uniform. The reason for setting the substrate heating temperature to 200 ° C. or lower is that when heat treatment is performed at 200 ° C. or higher, diffusion occurs at the interface inside the MR element 11 and deterioration of MR characteristics is observed. Further, when the GMR element or the TMR element is used, the fixed magnetization direction of the pinned layer forming the element may become unstable in addition to diffusion at the interface inside the element, and deterioration of MR characteristics is observed. is there.

As described above, by using a ferromagnetic material as the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14, it is possible to manufacture an MR head having a high reproduction output, so that it is possible to improve the yield at the time of characteristic inspection. . In addition, a ferromagnetic oxide that has been conventionally used as a material for a magnetic tape head that requires wear resistance, particularly a ferrite material that is a material having excellent wear resistance among ferromagnetic oxides, is used as a recording medium sliding reinforcing material. 1
By using this as No. 4, it is possible to easily manufacture a highly reliable MR head with little output reduction. In addition,
A more reliable MR head can be manufactured by using single crystal ferrite in order to avoid the occurrence of a step at each crystal grain interface, or by setting the surface orientation of the recording medium sliding reinforcing material in the recording medium sliding surface to approximately (100). Is possible.

In this embodiment, Ni is used as the MR element material.
Although Fe is used, by using a spin valve type GMR element or a spin valve type TMR element, it is possible to obtain a high MR ratio and manufacture a high performance MR head with a large reproduction output.

In this embodiment, the non-magnetic material 15 is formed on the MR element and then the flattening process is performed.
When a joining material having a viscosity such as resin is used, the recording medium slide reinforcing material 14 can be joined even if the flattening process is omitted. However, if the flattening process is omitted, the thickness of the resin layer on the recording medium sliding surface 1 becomes large.
As a result, the reproduction output may decrease due to the step difference caused by the difference in the abrasion speeds of the non-magnetic material 15, the recording medium sliding reinforcement 14, and the resin. Therefore, the MR element 11
After forming the nonmagnetic material 15 on the upper surface, it is preferable to perform the flattening process.

In the present embodiment, the thermosetting resin is used as an example of the bonding layer 18, but solid layer bonding utilizing mutual diffusion of metals or a room temperature curing bonding material that does not require heating is used. You may use.

Although two MR element portions are formed on the substrate in FIG. 9, the productivity can be greatly improved by enlarging the substrate to increase the number of MR element portions formed at one time. Can be achieved.

As described above, according to the yoke type MR head obtained by the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the recording medium sliding reinforcing member 14 is made of a ferromagnetic material, so that an unnecessary magnetic field from the recording medium 40 is generated. It is possible to prevent leakage to the yoke 10, a reproduced waveform is not distorted, a reproduction output is high, and a highly reliable yoke type MR head with a small output decrease can be obtained.

Further, the heat treatment temperature at the time of integrally joining the recording medium sliding reinforcing material 14 made of a ferromagnetic material through the bonding layer 18 is set to 200 ° C. or less, whereby the MR element 11 is obtained.
It is possible to prevent the deterioration of characteristics.

(Third Embodiment) A yoke type MR head, a method of manufacturing the same, and a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using the same will be described below as a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rotary drum device of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the outline of the traveling system of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus. The rotary drum device 50 of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 has a lower drum 51 and an upper rotary drum 52, and a magnetic head 53 is provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof. The magnetic tape (not shown) runs along the lead 54 with an inclination with respect to the rotation axis of the upper rotary drum 52. Therefore, the magnetic head 53 arranged on the upper rotary drum 52 slidably inclines with respect to the running direction of the magnetic tape. Further, a plurality of grooves 55 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper rotary drum 52 so that the upper rotary drum 52 and the magnetic tape can closely slide and stably travel.
The air trapped between the magnetic tape and the upper rotary drum 52 is discharged from the groove 55 to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 3, the traveling system of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus includes a rotary drum device 50, a supply reel 60, a take-up reel 61, rotary posts 62, 63, 64, 65 and 6.
6, 67, inclined posts 68, 69, capstan 70,
A pinch roller 71 and a tension arm 72 are provided. A reproducing head 73 and a recording head 7 are provided on the outer periphery of the upper rotating drum 52 (see FIG. 2) of the rotating drum device 50.
4 are arranged.

Magnetic tape 75 wound around supply reel 60
Is wound around the rotating drum device 50 via the rotating posts 62 to 64, the tension arm 72, and the tilting post 68, and the magnetic tape 75 coming out of the rotating drum device 50 moves the tilting post 69, the rotating posts 65 and 66. It passes through between the pinch roller 71 and the capstan 70, and is taken up by the take-up reel 61 via the rotation post 67. The rotary drum device 50 is of an upper rotary drum type, and two reproducing heads 73 are attached so as to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the upper rotary drum 52 by about 20 μm. In this embodiment, as the reproducing head, the yoke type MR head as described in the first and second embodiments is used.

As described above, in the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus of the present embodiment, the yoke type M having a higher output and a higher reliability than the inductive reproducing head used in the related art.
Since the R head is used, it is possible to reliably detect a signal from a medium recorded at high density with a good SN ratio for a long period of time. In particular, in the present embodiment, as compared with the shield type MR head, even if the sliding surface of the recording medium of the yoke type MR head is worn, the effect on the shape of the MR element that influences the characteristics is small, so that the coating type with a high polishing rate is used. Tape (MP tape) and metal evaporated tape (M tape with low polishing rate
Great reliability can be exhibited in the case where the E tape is used as a mixture.

In the above embodiment, the upper rotary drum system is taken as an example, but a medium rotary drum system of three drums including an upper drum, a middle drum and a lower drum may be used. Also,
Although a magnetic tape is used as an example, it can be applied to a disk-shaped medium.

Although the MR element is taken as an example in the above embodiments, a spin valve type G element is used instead of the MR element.
If an MR element or a spin valve type TMR element is used, a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus with higher performance can be obtained.

[0069]

As described above, according to the yoke type MR head and the method for manufacturing the same of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a highly reliable yoke type MR head having no reproduced waveform distortion, a high reproduction output, and a small output decrease.

Further, the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using them allows a large amount of magnetic information to be output with high reliability from a high density recorded magnetic recording medium used in a system such as a large capacity digital VTR or a data streamer. Can be played.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view in the vicinity of an MR element portion of a yoke type MR head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rotary drum device of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a traveling system of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a magnetic flux leaked from a recording medium, which is a yoke type M of the present invention.
Schematic diagram showing a state of circulating in the yoke of the R head

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in the vicinity of the MR element part of a conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view near the MR element part of a conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an entire conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing a conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing a conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing a conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing a conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing a conventional yoke type MR head.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which leakage magnetic flux from a recording medium flows back in a yoke of a conventional yoke type MR head.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Recording medium sliding surface 10 York 10a upper front magnetic yoke 10b upper rear magnetic yoke 10c Lower magnetic yoke 11 MR element 13 board 14 Recording medium sliding reinforcement 15 Non-magnetic material 18 Bonding layer

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Akinaga Natsui             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ken Takahashi             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Suekazu Kugioka             1006 Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric             Sangyo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5D034 AA02 BA03 BA04 BA16 BA21                       BB08 CA08 DA07                 5E041 BD05 CA05

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A yoke type MR head having an MR element in a notch portion of a yoke, wherein a substrate on which the MR element is formed and a recording medium sliding reinforcing material made of a ferromagnetic material are made of a non-magnetic material. A yoke-type MR head characterized in that it is joined via a yoke. 2. The yoke type MR head according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is a ferromagnetic oxide. 3. The yoke type MR head according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is ferrite. 4. The yoke type MR head according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is a single crystal ferrite. 5. The yoke type MR head according to claim 4, wherein the surface orientation of the recording medium sliding reinforcing member in the recording medium sliding surface is approximately (100). 6. The yoke type MR head according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the non-magnetic material is in the range of 0.5 to 20 μm. 7. The yoke type M according to claim 1, wherein the MR element comprises a spin valve type GMR element or a spin valve type TMR element.
R head. 8. A first step of forming an MR element portion on a mirror-finished substrate surface by a thin film forming technique, and M
The second step of forming a non-magnetic material on the R element, the MR element obtained in the second step, the substrate on which the non-magnetic material is formed, and the recording medium sliding reinforcing material made of a ferromagnetic material are butted. And a third step of joining and integrating via a joining layer, the method of manufacturing a yoke type MR head. 9. In the third step, the substrate on which the non-magnetic material is formed on the MR element is heated at 200 ° C. or lower, the bonding layer is formed, and then the bonding layer is bonded and integrated. The method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 8. 10. The method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 8, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is a ferromagnetic oxide. 11. The method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 8, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is ferrite. 12. The method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 8, wherein the recording medium sliding reinforcing material is single crystal ferrite. 13. The method of manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 12, wherein the surface orientation of the recording medium sliding reinforcing material in the recording medium sliding surface is approximately (100). 14. The nonmagnetic material has a thickness of 0.5 to 20 μm.
14. The method for manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 8, wherein: 15. The method of manufacturing a yoke type MR head according to claim 8, wherein the MR element comprises a spin valve type GMR element or a spin valve type TMR element. 16. A magnetic recording / reproducing device using the yoke type MR head according to claim 1. Description: 17. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using a yoke type MR head manufactured by the manufacturing method according to claim 8.