JP2006260686A - Perpendicular magnetic recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a perpendicular magnetic recording head which prevents data elimination caused by residual magnetization of a main magnetic pole to improve a yield of manufacture, and which enables high density recording without sacrificing the high saturation magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole. <P>SOLUTION: The perpendicular magnetic recording head with a main magnetic pole 10 provided with a magnetic pole tip part 10a is characterized in that a shield yoke 16 is formed in a location surrounding the main magnetic pole 10 in the same plane as the main pole 10; a pair of side shield parts 16a, 16b are formed in a location sandwiching the magnetic pole tip part between their tip parts of the side shield parts integrally with the shield yoke 16; and between the side shield parts 16a, 16b, the shield yoke 16 is provided with exciting coils 18a, 18b for magnetizing a bias magnetic field for turning the residual magnetization in the magnetic pole tip part 10a toward the direction of the track width of the recording medium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording head used for a recording / reproducing head of a magnetic disk device.

  In an information recording / reproducing apparatus such as a magnetic disk apparatus, there is a perpendicular recording system as a recording system for recording information on a recording medium. In the perpendicular magnetic recording head, information is recorded on the recording medium by using a function in which a magnetic field is applied from the tip of the main pole toward the recording medium, and the magnetic field that has passed through the recording medium returns to the return yoke (trailing shield). . FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the tip of the main magnetic pole 10 of the perpendicular magnetic recording head used in the perpendicular recording system. The perpendicular recording method is capable of high-density recording as compared with the in-plane recording method. For this reason, the tip of the main magnetic pole 10 is formed with a narrow width, and the magnetic field is narrowed down to act on the medium. It is formed so that it can.

Thus, the perpendicular magnetic recording head used in the perpendicular recording system has the main magnetic pole 10 having a shape anisotropy, so that the main magnetic pole 10 can be used even after the coil current applied to the recording head is cut off. There is a problem that the magnetization in the direction toward the medium remains at the tip of the recording medium, and information recorded on the recording medium is erased by the residual magnetization. As a method for solving the data erasure problem due to such residual magnetization, a method in which the tip of the main pole is a soft magnetic multilayer film (see, for example, Patent Document 1), a conductive layer is provided near the tip of the main pole, A method in which a current is passed through the conductive layer after turning off the current to direct the magnetization of the main pole in the track width direction (see, for example, Patent Document 2), and a method in which the residual magnetization is reduced by controlling the magnetostriction of the return yoke (see, for example, Patent Document 3) has been proposed.
JP 2004-199816 A JP 2004-62946 A JP 2004-86961 A

  However, the conventional method for suppressing the residual magnetization in the perpendicular magnetic recording head has a problem that the yield of the product is reduced and the saturation magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole is suppressed. That is, when the main magnetic pole is formed as a multilayer film, the film is formed by the sputtering method. However, when the film is formed by the sputtering method, the main magnetic pole is formed by ion milling, and thus the magnetic pole shape tends to vary. In the case of a method using a current magnetic field, it is difficult to generate a sufficiently strong magnetic field, and heat is generated when a large current is applied. Further, in the case of the method using the magnetostriction of the magnetic pole, it is difficult to make it compatible with the high saturation magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole, and there is a problem that the high saturation magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole is sacrificed.

  The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and by directing the magnetization direction of the residual magnetization of the main pole in the track width direction of the recording medium, data erasure caused by the residual magnetization can be prevented. An object of the present invention is to provide a perpendicular magnetic recording head that improves the manufacturing yield of products and enables high-density recording without sacrificing the high saturation magnetic flux density of the magnetic poles.

The present invention has the following configuration in order to achieve the above object.
That is, in a perpendicular magnetic recording head having a main magnetic pole provided with a tip magnetic pole portion, a shield yoke is provided in an arrangement surrounding the main magnetic pole in the same plane as the main magnetic pole, and the tip is integrated with the shield yoke. A pair of side shield portions are provided so that the portion sandwiches the tip magnetic pole portion, and the shield yoke has a bias that directs the magnetization remaining in the tip magnetic pole portion between the side shield portions in the track width direction of the recording medium. An exciting coil for exciting a magnetic field is provided.

Further, the side shield part is provided with a tip part facing each side surface of the tip magnetic pole part.
Further, the exciting coil is provided in the shield yoke at a position on the rear side of the main magnetic pole.
The exciting coil can be formed as a helical type or an in-plane type coil.
Further, since the shield yoke is made of a soft magnetic material, it is possible to effectively direct the magnetization remaining in the tip magnetic pole portion by the bias magnetic field in the track width direction, and at the time of recording information on the recording medium. The magnetic field leaking laterally from the magnetic pole can be cut off, and accurate writing can be performed.

  According to the perpendicular magnetic recording head of the present invention, by energizing the exciting coil, the magnetization remaining in the tip magnetic pole provided in the main pole can be directed in the track width direction of the recording medium. The problem that the information recorded on the recording medium is erased by the residual magnetization can be solved. Further, the side shield portion provided in the shield yoke has an action of shielding a magnetic field leaking laterally from the main magnetic pole when information is recorded on the recording medium by the main magnetic pole, thereby enabling high density recording by the recording head. It becomes possible. In addition, the perpendicular magnetic recording head according to the present invention does not require a change in the configuration of the conventional perpendicular magnetic recording head except that a shield yoke is formed, and the main magnetic pole is formed using a magnetic material having a high saturation magnetic flux density. This has the advantage that the characteristics of the perpendicular magnetic recording head capable of high-density recording are not impaired.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1A is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the perpendicular recording head according to the present invention together with the configuration of the read head. FIG. 1B is a view of the perpendicular magnetic recording head and the read head as viewed from the air bearing surface side. Indicates the state.
In FIG. 1A, the read head 5 includes a lower shield layer 6 and an upper shield layer 7 made of a magnetic layer, and an MR element 8 formed between the lower shield layer 6 and the upper shield layer 7.

The perpendicular magnetic recording head 20 formed on the read head 5 surrounds the main pole 10 in the same plane as the main pole 10, the trailing shield layer 12 as a return yoke, the coil 14, and the main pole 10. A shield yoke 16 formed as described above.
As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the tip magnetic pole portion 10a of the main magnetic pole 10 is formed in a narrowed shape, and the shield yoke 16 has side shield portions 16a and 16b arranged so as to sandwich the tip magnetic pole portion 10a. Provided. An insulating layer is provided between the main magnetic pole 10 and the coil 14 and between the coil 14 and the trailing shield layer 12. In FIG. 1, the insulating layers between the respective layers are omitted.

FIG. 2 shows a planar arrangement of the shield yoke 16.
The main magnetic pole 10 is formed in a planar shape that gradually becomes narrower from the main body portion of the main magnetic pole 10 toward the air bearing surface, and a tip magnetic pole portion 10 a is formed at the protruding end of the main magnetic pole 10.
The shield yoke 16 is formed so as to surround the main magnetic pole 10 in a rectangular shape in a planar arrangement. At the portion where the tip magnetic pole portion 10a of the main magnetic pole 10 is formed, the tip of each side shield portion 16a, 16b is the tip magnetic pole. It is arranged so as to face the side surface of the tip magnetic pole part 10a slightly apart from the end part of the part 10a. The configuration in which the side shield portions 16a and 16b of the shield yoke 16 are arranged to face the tip magnetic pole portion 10a across the tip magnetic pole portion 10a of the main magnetic pole 10 is the same in both FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b), an excitation coil is provided on the connecting yoke portion 16c disposed on the rear side of the main magnetic pole 10 of the shield yoke 16. FIG. 2A shows an example in which a helical excitation coil 18a is provided in the connecting yoke portion 16c, and FIG. 2B shows an example in which an in-plane excitation coil 18b is provided in the connecting yoke portion 16c.
When the helical excitation coil 18a is provided in the connecting yoke portion 16c, the lower half and the upper half of the excitation coil 18a are formed in separate steps when forming each layer of the magnetic head. What is necessary is just to make it connect in a shape. When the in-plane excitation coil 18b is provided in the connecting yoke portion 16c, only the portion of the exciting coil 18b that intersects the connecting yoke portion 16c may be formed in a separate process.

  Since the shield yoke 16 is formed on the same plane as the main magnetic pole 10, the shield yoke 16 can be formed simultaneously when the main magnetic pole 10 is formed in a predetermined pattern. As the main magnetic pole 10, a magnetic material having a saturation magnetic flux density as large as possible, for example, a soft magnetic material such as NiFe or CoNiFe is used. This enables high-density recording with the main magnetic pole 10. The shield yoke 16 may be formed using the same material as the soft magnetic material forming the main magnetic pole 10. Of course, the shield yoke 16 can also be formed using a soft magnetic material different from the main magnetic pole 10.

  In the perpendicular magnetic recording head 20 of the present embodiment, the side shield portions 16a and 16b are disposed so as to sandwich the tip magnetic pole portion 10a of the main magnetic pole 10, and the side shield portions 16a and 16b are arranged via the connecting yoke portion 16c. 18b, when the coil 14 that excites the main magnetic pole 10 is not energized, the excitation coil 18a or 18b of the shield yoke 16 is energized and the side shield portion 16a is energized. , 16b can generate a bias magnetic field so that the magnetization remaining in the tip magnetic pole portion 10a of the main magnetic pole 10 is directed in a direction parallel to the medium surface of the recording medium.

FIG. 3 shows that a bias magnetic field in the direction connecting the side shield portions 16a and 16b is generated by energizing the exciting coil of the shield yoke 16, and the magnetization remaining in the tip magnetic pole portion 10a by this bias magnetic field is the same as the bias magnetic field. Indicates to be directed.
As described above, the magnetization remaining on the tip magnetic pole portion 10a of the main magnetic pole 10 is directed to the recording medium by the residual magnetization of the tip magnetic pole portion 10a by directing the magnetization in the direction parallel to the medium surface of the recording medium (track width direction). It is possible to reliably prevent the data being erased from being erased.

  The side shield portions 16a and 16b provided in the shield yoke 16 shield a magnetic field that leaks laterally from the tip magnetic pole portion 10a when the coil 14 of the main magnetic pole 10 is energized to record information on the recording medium. It has both functions. The action of shielding the magnetic field leaking from the tip magnetic pole part 10a works to make the magnetic field for recording by the perpendicular magnetic recording head act more steeply, and enables high-density recording on the recording medium.

  That is, according to the perpendicular magnetic recording head of the present invention, the data recorded on the recording medium due to the residual magnetization of the main pole is erased by providing the shield yoke 16 with the exciting coil having the side shield portions 16a and 16b. In addition, the recording accuracy by the main magnetic pole is improved and high-density recording of information is enabled.

  In addition, the perpendicular magnetic recording head according to the present invention can be manufactured by applying the conventional manufacturing process as it is in addition to the manufacturing process of providing the shield yoke 16 and the exciting coils 18a and 18b. Using a magnetic material having a density, it can be formed by plating as in the conventional case. That is, according to the perpendicular magnetic recording head of the present invention, the main magnetic pole can be formed using a magnetic material having a high saturation magnetic flux density, thereby providing a perpendicular magnetic recording head capable of high density recording. be able to.

  The perpendicular magnetic recording head 20 according to the present invention is incorporated in a head slider constituting a magnetic head assembly of a magnetic disk device together with the read head 5, and can be used for recording and reproducing information on a recording medium. FIG. 4 shows an example of a head slider 30 on which the perpendicular magnetic recording head 20 and the read head 5 are mounted. The perpendicular magnetic recording head 20 and the read head 5 are provided in the film forming section 32 on the air outflow end side of the air bearing surface 31 of the head slider 30. On both side edges of the air bearing surface 31, rails 33 and 33 are provided that act so that the head slider 30 floats from the medium surface of the recording medium by an air flow generated by the rotation of the recording medium.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view (a) showing the configuration of the perpendicular magnetic recording head according to the present invention, and an end view (b) on the air bearing surface side of the perpendicular magnetic recording head. It is a top view which shows the structural example of a shield yoke. It is explanatory drawing which shows the effect | action of a shield yoke. It is a perspective view of a head slider equipped with a perpendicular magnetic recording head. It is explanatory drawing which shows the residual magnetization which arises in a perpendicular magnetic recording head.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Main magnetic pole 10a Tip magnetic pole part 12 Trailing shield layer 14 Coil 16 Shield yoke 16a, 16b Side shield part 16c Connection yoke part 18a, 18b Excitation coil 20 Perpendicular magnetic recording head 30 Head slider

Claims (5)

In a perpendicular magnetic recording head including a main magnetic pole provided with a tip magnetic pole portion,
A shield yoke is provided in an arrangement surrounding the main magnetic pole in the same plane as the main magnetic pole, and a pair of side shield parts are provided in an arrangement in which the tip part sandwiches the tip magnetic pole part integrally with the shield yoke,
The perpendicular magnetic recording is characterized in that the shield yoke is provided with an exciting coil for exciting a bias magnetic field between the side shield portions to direct the magnetization remaining in the tip magnetic pole portion in the track width direction of the recording medium. head.   2. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the side shield part is provided with a tip part facing a side surface of the tip magnetic pole part.   3. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the exciting coil is provided on the shield yoke at a position on the rear side of the main magnetic pole.   4. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 3, wherein the exciting coil is a helical type or an in-plane type coil.   The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the shield yoke is made of a soft magnetic material.