JP4850454B2 - Manufacturing method of slider - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a slider used in a hard disk drive, and more particularly to a method for removing flash generated on a cut surface of a slider.

  Hard disk drives are widely used for recording digital information as high-speed, large-capacity, high-reliability, low-cost recording media. A hard disk drive includes a magnetic head slider (hereinafter referred to as a slider) provided with at least one of a writing element for writing information to a recording medium and a reading element for reading information from the recording medium. Yes. A read / write section provided with these writing elements and reading elements is provided at one end of the slider. The surface on which the slider faces the recording medium is called a medium facing surface or ABS (Air Bearing Surface).

  When the slider records and reproduces information on the recording medium, an air flow flows between the slider and the recording medium rotating at high speed. The slider floats slightly from the recording medium by this air flow. The distance between the ABS and the surface of the recording medium at this time is called the flying height. Since the bit length of the recording medium is shortened when the flying height is reduced, reducing the flying height is effective for increasing the density of the recording medium. For this reason, it is required to further suppress the flying height in response to a request for higher recording density of the hard disk drive.

  A method for creating such a slider will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in FIG. 14A, a large number of elements 13 to be sliders are formed on the wafer 11. Next, the wafer 11 on which a large number of elements 13 are formed is cut into long bars 12 with a grindstone 26. The bar 12 is cut along the cut surfaces T1 and T2. This state is shown in FIG. 14B. Next, as shown in FIG. 14C, the cut surface T2 of the cut bar 12 is polished by a dedicated polishing apparatus to form a medium facing surface ABS facing the recording medium. This figure is a perspective view when the bar 12 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 14B. Next, as shown in FIG. 14D, the bar 12 is cut along a cutting margin 14 with a grindstone 27 and separated into individual sliders 1.

  By the way, when a wafer is cut into a bar with a grindstone or a bar is cut into a slider, a compressive stress layer may be generated on the slider cut surface due to processing stress at the time of cutting, and “burrs” may be generated on the cut surface. . When the wafer is cut into bars, flashes C11 and C12 are generated at both ends of the cut surfaces T1 and T2 as shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C (flashes on one end side of the cut surfaces T1 and T2 are not shown). When the bar is cut into the slider, as shown in the enlarged view of the slider in FIG. 14D, the flash C2 is generated along the sides A1 and A2 of the cut surface S2 (the flash along the side A2 is not shown). Similar flash C3 is also generated along sides B1 and B2 of cut surface S2 (flashes along side B1 are not shown). Further, similar flash C2 and C3 are generated on the cut surface S3 side.

  14E and 14F are sectional views taken along lines XX and YY in FIG. 14D, respectively. The flash C2 is generated so as to protrude to the medium facing surface ABS, and is similarly generated on the surface S5 on the back side of the medium facing surface ABS. The flash C3 is generated so as to protrude from the surfaces S4 and S6 orthogonal to the medium facing surface ABS.

  Among these flashes, the flash C12 on the cut surface T2 side disappears because the cut surface T2 is polished by about 50 to 80 μm when the medium facing surface ABS is formed. Even if the flash C11 on the cut surface T1 side remains slightly, there is no functional problem. The flash C3 is generated so as to protrude from the surfaces S4 and S6. However, since the surfaces S4 and S6 do not have to be completely flat, there is no functional problem even if some flash remains. However, since the flash C2 protrudes from the medium facing surface ABS, it becomes a major obstacle to reducing the flying height and increasing the density of the recording medium. Further, the flash C2 on the surface opposite to the medium facing surface ABS may also become an obstacle when joining with the flexure.

  Therefore, in order to prevent such flash from remaining, the cut surface is polished, and a spare groove is provided around the slider and cut along the spare groove so that the flash extends to the medium facing surface ABS. A technique for avoiding this is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).

As a slider processing technique, for example, a technique using a laser for the purpose of removing distortion of the slider shape or forming a predetermined shape is also disclosed (Patent Documents 2 and 3).
JP 2001-143233 A JP-A-6-84312 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-328643

  However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has several problems. First, since the technique described in Patent Document 1 does not eliminate the flash itself, but stores the flash in the spare groove, the versatility of the shape design of the medium facing surface is reduced. That is, a rail for controlling the flying height when the slider is operated is formed on the medium facing surface. However, if the flash remains, it is difficult to reduce the height of the rail.

  Secondly, adding a preliminary groove to the side of the slider leads to a substantial increase in the width of the cut. In recent years, along with the miniaturization of hard disk drives intended for mounting on mobile phones, the slider itself is 20% from the conventional 30% slider (a slider having a size of about 1.0 mm × 1.235 mm × 0.3 mm). % Sliders (sliders having a size of about 0.7 mm × 0.85 mm × 0.23 mm), and further miniaturization is being studied. Since the proportion of the cutting portion in the wafer increases as the size of the slider increases, the increase in the width of the cutting portion becomes a restriction on the number of sliders that can be manufactured from one wafer. This leads to a decrease in production efficiency and an increase in cost per slider. In order to reduce the cutting width, further fine processing is required. However, if such a preliminary groove is required, there is a limit in reducing the cutting width.

  Further, it is possible to remove the flash by polishing the cut surface, but polishing each separated slider has many problems in terms of production efficiency.

  Therefore, a technique for fundamentally removing the flash is desired, and as one of them, the inventor of the present application paid attention to a technique using a laser as disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3. However, the deburring technique using a laser has the following problems. That is, when the laser beam is irradiated on the medium facing surface side, the flatness of the medium facing surface is deteriorated, so that it is necessary to irradiate the cut surface. When irradiating the cut surface, if the laser is irradiated after separating the sliders one by one, the same production efficiency problem as described above will occur, so it is possible to irradiate while holding the slider on the cutting jig. Necessary. However, since the distance between the sliders is extremely narrow, the laser must be incident at a shallow angle with respect to the cut surface, and sufficient energy cannot be applied to the cut surface. Moreover, in order to enter at a shallow angle, high accuracy of the irradiation angle is required.

  Furthermore, in order to irradiate the slider diagonally, it is desirable to place the slider on a horizontal surface and irradiate from the upper side of the slider in an oblique direction, but depending on the structure of the laser emitting device, irradiation from an oblique direction is difficult. There is a case. In this case, it is conceivable to realize oblique irradiation by fixing the slider to the slope and irradiating the laser from the top, but the slider that can be irradiated at one time due to the restriction of the focal depth of the irradiation device and the vertical movement range The number of is limited.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a slider that can remove a flash generated on a slider when the bar is cut and the slider is manufactured by simple means while the slider is held by a cutting jig. It is to provide a manufacturing method.

Method for producing a slider of the present invention includes a slider obtained by cutting a plurality of elements to the slider are arranged forming bars, the first surface facing the cutting surface of the slider and the flat line orientation And arranging the first member in a liquid having a horizontal liquid surface . In this step, the slider has the medium facing surface or the back surface thereof as the upper surface, and the cut surface of the slider and the first surface of the first member are immersed in the liquid in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal liquid surface. Are arranged as follows. Upper surfaces of the first member of the slider is made to expose from both liquids. Furthermore, between the cut surface and the first surface, the meniscus, the liquid surface forming a curved surface shape is formed. The manufacturing method further irradiates electromagnetic waves from above the liquid surface having a curved surface shape between the cut surface and the first surface, refracts the electromagnetic waves on the liquid surface having the curved surface shape, and enters the cut surface to cut. There is an irradiation step for reducing the height of the flash generated at the periphery of the surface from the medium facing surface or the back surface.

  Since the liquid surface between the cut surface and the first surface has a curved surface shape, it functions as a kind of lens. Therefore, when an electromagnetic wave is applied to the liquid surface between the cut surface and the first surface, the electromagnetic wave is refracted at the liquid surface between the cut surface and the first surface and is incident on the cut surface. The electromagnetic wave heats the cut surface of the slider, changes the balance of residual stress generated during cutting, and reduces the height of the flash.

  The slider manufacturing method of the present invention preferably includes a step of performing a water repellent treatment on the surfaces to be the upper surfaces of the slider and the first member prior to the arranging step. This facilitates the formation of the curved liquid surface described above.

  The first member is another cut slider, and the first surface can be a cutting surface of another slider.

  The arranging step may include arranging three or more sliders so that opposing surfaces of two adjacent sliders are cut surfaces.

  The arranging step may include arranging the plurality of sliders in the liquid such that each upper surface is below the average liquid level of the liquid and the curved surface has a convex shape.

  The irradiating step may include irradiating the electromagnetic wave until the curved surface shape is concave.

  The arranging step may include arranging the plurality of sliders in the liquid so that each upper surface is above the average liquid level of the liquid and the curved surface shape is concave.

  The cutting step further includes separating the bar into individual sliders, and the cutting step includes holding the bar in a jig and cutting the bar while being held in the jig, and the arranging step includes: A plurality of separated sliders may be disposed in the liquid while being held by a jig.

The upper surface of the slider can be a medium facing surface.

As the electromagnetic wave, it is desirable to use a laser having a wavelength of 200 to 3000 nm. The laser irradiation amount is preferably 0.5 to 6.0 mJ / mm ² .

  As described above, according to the present invention, the slider is disposed in the liquid so that the liquid facing the cut surface of the slider forms a curved surface, and electromagnetic waves are irradiated toward the liquid having the curved surface. The liquid having a curved surface functions as a lens, and the refracted electromagnetic wave is incident on the cut surface of the slider. For this reason, the flash generated in the slider when the bar is cut to manufacture the slider can be removed by simple means while the slider is held by the cutting jig.

Hereinafter, the slider manufacturing method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slider according to the slider manufacturing method of the present invention. The slider 1 includes a substrate 2 made of a ceramic material such as AlTiC (Al ₂ O ₃ · TiC) and a thin film magnetic head portion 3 made of a laminate. A disk-shaped recording medium (not shown) that is rotationally driven is provided above the slider 1 (may be below). The slider 1 has a substantially hexahedron shape, and one of the six faces forms a medium facing surface ABS that faces the recording medium. The medium facing surface ABS is provided with a read / write section 4 provided with read / write elements of the thin film magnetic head section 3 and rail sections 5a and 5b. As the reading element, an element using a magnetosensitive film exhibiting a magnetoresistive effect, such as an AMR (anisotropic magnetoresistive effect) element, a GMR (giant magnetoresistive effect) element, or a TMR (tunnel magnetoresistive effect) element (hereinafter referred to as a read element). , Also referred to as an MR element). As the writing element, an inductive magnetic transducer is used, which may be either a horizontal recording system for recording in the in-plane direction of the recording medium or a vertical recording system for recording in the out-of-plane direction of the recording medium.

  When the recording medium rotates, the air flow enters from the air flow inflow direction side 6 of the slider 1 and escapes from the slider 1 from the downstream end in the recording medium traveling direction z where the thin film magnetic head unit 3 is provided. That is, the air flow enters a slight gap between the rail portion 5b and the recording medium, is rectified by the rail portions 5a and 5b, and enters the gap between the read / write portion 4 and the recording medium. This air flow causes a downward lift in the y direction, and the slider 1 floats from the surface of the recording medium.

  In the medium facing surface ABS, the rail portion 5a protrudes most with respect to the recording medium, and the read / write portion 4 is drawn into the recording medium by 1 to 3 nm from the rail portion 5a. The steps of the rail portions 5a and 5b are not always necessary. A protective film (not shown) having a thickness of about 1 to 10 nm made of a mixed film of Si (silicon) and DLC (Diamond like carbon) is formed on the medium facing surface ABS. A surface S5 (see FIGS. 14D and 14E) on the back side of the medium facing surface ABS of the slider 1 is a contact surface with a flexure (not shown) that supports the slider 1.

(First embodiment)
Next, a first embodiment of the slider manufacturing method described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  (Step 101) First, as shown in FIG. 14A, a plurality of elements 13 to be the sliders 1 are laminated on the wafer 11 by a thin film process, and as shown in FIG. 14B, the wafers 11 are arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction. The bar is cut into long bars 12 arranged in a row. The bar 12 is cut in such a direction that the surface to be the medium facing surface ABS appears on the cut surface T2. In order to manage the polishing amount of the medium facing surface ABS in step 102, one measuring element (not shown) may be provided for each of the plurality of elements 13 on the wafer 11.

  (Step 102) Next, the bar 12 is lapped to form a predetermined MR height of the MR element and a throat height of the writing element. Rail portions 5a and 5b are formed on the medium facing surface ABS by ion milling or the like.

  (Step 103) Next, the bar 12 is attached to the cutting jig 21. As shown in FIG. 3, the cutting jig 21 includes slider support portions 22 arranged in a row on a support plate 23 with a gap 25 therebetween. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bar 12 is positioned so that the cutting margin 14 coincides with the gap 25, and is fixed to the fixing surface 24 of the slider support 22 with an adhesive with the medium facing surface ABS facing upward. Is done. The cutting jig 21 functions as a jig for holding the slider even in the case of flash removal using laser light, which will be described later.

  In this step, it is desirable that the medium facing surface ABS be subjected to a water repellent treatment such as by applying a water repellent substance. As the water-repellent substance, for example, a generally used edible oil can provide sufficient effects, but silicon oil or the like is preferable in order to prevent contamination of the medium facing surface ABS. By applying the water-repellent substance, when the bar is cut from the bar in the next step, the effect of protecting the medium facing surface ABS from the scattered powder is also obtained. The water repellent material can be removed in a cleaning step after the slider 1 is removed from the cutting jig 21. The same effect can be obtained by forming DLC on the medium facing surface ABS after the formation of the rail portions 5a and 5b in step 102. If the water repellency of the medium facing surface ABS is relatively good, the water repellency treatment need not be performed.

  (Step 104) Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the bar 12 is cut by the cutting margin 14 while being held by the cutting jig 21 and separated into the slider 1. A grindstone 27 is used for cutting. Since the cutting margin 14 is positioned in advance so as to coincide with the gap 25, the grindstone 27 passes through the gap 25 and does not contact the cutting jig 21. For this reason, the bar 12 is cut while being held by the cutting jig 21.

  FIG. 5 shows a partial perspective view of the cut bar 12. Thus, the separated slider 1 is held so that the cut surfaces S2 and S3 of the adjacent sliders 1 face each other with a space 15 corresponding to the cutting margin 14 generated by the cutting. In one example, the slider 1 has a length Dx of the bar 12 of about 1.0 mm, a length Dy of the bar 12 of about 1.23 mm, and a thickness Dz of the bar 12 of about 0.3 mm. These dimensions vary depending on the type of slider, but the ratio between them does not change greatly. In addition, the cutting width, that is, the width G in the x direction of the space 15 is about 0.15 mm in one example.

  The grindstone 27 is made of diamond and has a rotational speed of about 5000 to 20000 rpm. All the sliders 1 are sequentially cut while moving the grindstone 27 in the direction of the white arrow in FIG. At this time, the flash C2 as shown in FIGS. 14D and 14E is formed on the cut surfaces S2 and S3.

  Note that one of the cut surfaces S2 and S3 may not be the cut surface in step 104 depending on the position of the slider 1 in the wafer 11, but even in that case, the wafer 11 is cut into the bar 12 in step 101. It is a cut surface. For this reason, all the sliders 1 have the same flash C2 on both sides of the cut surfaces S2 and S3.

  (Step 105) As shown in FIG. 6, a water tank 41 is prepared, and pure water W is filled in the water tank 41. Next, the slider 1 held by the cutting jig 21 is placed in a water tank 41 filled with pure water W (the cutting jig 21 is not shown). Since each slider 1 is still held by the cutting jig 21, the opposing surfaces of the two adjacent sliders 1 are the respective cutting surfaces S2 and S3, and the cutting surfaces S2 and S3 are oriented substantially parallel to each other. Opposite. Although only a few sliders are shown in FIG. 6 for simplification of the drawing, one cutting jig 21 is usually provided with several tens of sliders. As shown in the figure, the sliders 1 may be arranged in two or more rows.

  FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of part A in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the slider support portion 22 of the cutting jig 21 is installed so as to be parallel to the liquid level W <b> 1 corresponding to the average liquid level of the water tank 41. For this reason, the medium facing surface ABS, which is the upper surface of the slider 1, is parallel to the liquid surface W1, and the cut surfaces S2, S3 of the adjacent sliders 1a, 1b are substantially orthogonal to the liquid surface W1.

  Although the cut surfaces S2 and S3 are substantially immersed in pure water W, the medium facing surface ABS is exposed from the liquid surface as shown in FIG. To do. The liquid surface W2 between the cut surfaces S2 and S3 includes a curved surface shape that is convex (convex lens shape) in a plane that includes an axis orthogonal to the cut surfaces S2 and S3 and is orthogonal to the liquid surface W1 (ie, a cross section shown in FIG. 8). Make. That is, a meniscus is formed between the cut surfaces S2 and S3. This is because of the water repellency of the medium facing surface ABS and the surface tension of the pure water W. The center line P (which is the center plane in the y direction) is a set of midpoints of the cutting planes S2 and S3, and is in principle the apex of the convex lens-shaped liquid surface W2. In order to create the above state, the installation level of the medium facing surface ABS is adjusted to be about 0.3 to 1.0 mm below the liquid level W1 in the slider larger than the 30% slider. For a 30% slider and smaller sliders, this value is preferably set in the range of 0.3 to 0.5 mm. However, since this value is related to the gap between the sliders and the surface tension of the liquid, the value is different when the gap is different or when a liquid other than pure water is used.

(Step 106) As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, laser light 32 is irradiated from above the liquid surface W2 between the cut surfaces S2 and S3 by the laser irradiator 31, and is incident on the liquid surface W2. The intensity of the laser beam 32 is ² mJ / mm ² in one example. In FIG. 8, the laser beam 32 shows only the portion on the right side of the center line P. The laser beam 32 in the right part is refracted by the curved liquid surface W2, passes through the center line P, and enters the cut surface S2 of the slider 1a on the opposite side. Due to the relationship between the refractive index of pure water (1.33) and the distance between the sliders 1a and 1b (here, about 0.15 mm), the refracted laser light 32 is mainly below the cut surface S2 (medium facing surface ABS). Incident on the back side). Similarly, a laser beam 32 on the left side of the center line P (not shown) enters the cut surface S3 of the slider 1b on the opposite side of the center line P.

  Further, irradiation with the laser beam 32 is continued. Since the intensity of the laser beam 32 is large, while the gap between the sliders 1a and 1b is as small as about 0.15 mm, the pure water W existing in the gap between the cut surfaces S2 and S3 is caused by the laser beam 32 (correctly, It is heated suddenly (by the heat generated by the laser irradiated cut surfaces S2, S3) and evaporates. When the laser beam 32 is continuously applied to the same region with almost no change in the position in the x direction, the replenishment of water from the surroundings cannot catch up with the amount of evaporation, so the liquid level W2 has a concave shape as shown in FIG. To the curved surface shape (liquid level W3). At this time, the laser beam 32 on the left side of the center line P is refracted at the liquid surface W3 and is irradiated onto the cut surface S2 of the slider 1a. The laser beam 32 follows a trajectory that concentrates on the upper side (medium facing surface ABS side) of the cut surface S2 of the slider 1a.

  Through the above process, the laser beam 32 is irradiated evenly onto the cut surface S2 of the slider 1a. Similarly, the laser beam 32 is applied to the cut surface S3 of the slider 1b. The irradiation range does not include the flash C2 itself or each edge of the cut surface S2 (sides A1, A2, B1, and B2 in FIG. 14D). Instead of physically removing the flash C2, the surface C2 is irradiated with a laser to heat the surface, thereby changing the balance of residual stress generated during cutting and eliminating the flash C2. That is, when laser is irradiated, dissolution of Altic or re-aggregation occurs due to heat from the laser, and the heated portion contracts. Accompanying this contraction, a contraction stress is generated in the irradiation surface direction (cut surface direction). As a result, shrinkage stress is generated at the irradiated portion of the cut surface S2, and the flash C2 shown in FIG. 10A is efficiently removed as shown in FIG. 10B. From the viewpoint of suppressing the bulging of the flash on the medium facing surface ABS, which is the object of the present invention, the height h0 of the flash generated at the periphery of the cut surface from the medium facing surface ABS is reduced to the height h1. (Including the case where the bulge is completely 0 or 0 or less).

The wavelength of the laser beam 32 is preferably selected from the range of 200 to 3000 nm. A laser in this wavelength range is easily absorbed by the surface of the slider 1 and has a high efficiency of being converted into thermal energy near the surface of the slider 1. The irradiation amount of the laser beam 32 is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 6.0 mJ / mm ² . If it is less than 0.5 mJ / mm ² , a sufficient effect cannot be obtained because the temperature at which AlTiC constituting the substrate 2 and alumina as the main material of the thin film magnetic head portion 3 are not melted is reached. If it exceeds 6.0 mJ / mm ² , the thermal deformation of the slider 1 becomes too large. The irradiation time is preferably 0.01 to 0.1 seconds on the premise of irradiation with the above energy amount, and particularly about 0.02 seconds is optimal. Note that the beam to be irradiated is not limited to the laser, and more generally, the same effect can be obtained as long as the electromagnetic wave can be irradiated with the energy as described above.

  FIG. 11 shows an irradiation state on the cut surface S2 side. As an irradiation method, it is preferable that a rectangular irradiation range that is long in the z direction and short in the x direction is sequentially moved in the y direction. In such an irradiation method, a contraction stress in the z direction of the long side is applied, while a contraction stress in the y direction is not so much applied, so that the flash can be effectively removed. Irradiation in the z direction is automatically performed by the change from the liquid level W2 to the liquid level W3 in accordance with the method described above. Scanning in the y direction (open arrow in the figure) is performed, for example, by a swinging motion of the laser irradiator 31 (sliding motion may also be used). A mask 34 is attached to the irradiation part of the laser irradiator 31, and the laser irradiation shape is shaped into a rectangle by the mask 34. The mask 34 may be shaped so that one rectangular beam is irradiated at a time, but may be shaped so that a plurality of rectangular beams are irradiated simultaneously. In the latter case, since a plurality of irradiation ranges can be irradiated at the same time, work efficiency is increased. The beam shape of the laser may be circular. In this case, the beam diameter is preferably 30 μm or more. If the diameter is less than this, the melting range is too narrow, and the irradiated part becomes mottled, so that the effect of removing the flash cannot be sufficiently obtained, and the throughput is extremely reduced.

  Through the above-described process, the flash of the cut surfaces of the pair of sliders facing each other is removed. Thereafter, the position of the laser irradiator is moved as necessary, and the laser beam is similarly irradiated to another cut surface to remove the flash. The irradiation position may be moved by moving a galvanometer mirror, for example. Thereafter, the assembly of the sliders 1 is taken out from the water tank 41 and washed, and the slider 1 is removed from the cutting jig 21 and separated into individual sliders.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that steps 105 and 106 are different.

  Referring to FIG. 12, in step 105, the sliders 1a and 1b are arranged such that the medium facing surface ABS is above the liquid level W1 that is the average liquid level of the liquid. The level difference between the liquid level W1 and the medium facing surface ABS at this time is about 0.3 to 1.0 mm for a slider larger than the 30% slider. Since the cut surfaces S2 and S3 of the slider usually have hydrophilicity, the liquid surface W3 between the sliders 1a and 1b is formed to have a concave (concave lens shape) curved surface shape.

  In this state, by irradiating the laser beam 32 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the laser can be applied to the cut surface of the slider. The state at this time is basically the same as that in FIG. 9, that is, when the liquid level is lowered and the liquid surface becomes a concave lens shape in the first embodiment. At this time, the irradiation amount of the laser beam 32 is relatively small below the cut surface S2 (the side far from the medium facing surface ABS), but the laser is adjusted so as to intentionally increase the number of irradiations (irradiation amount) downward. Thus, the cut surface S2 can be irradiated uniformly. Further, when the same spot is irradiated with an irradiation dose of a certain level or more, the surrounding water is rapidly evaporated, the liquid surface W3 is lowered to the liquid surface W4 as shown in FIG. 13, and concentrated below the cut surfaces S2 and S3. Can be irradiated with laser.

  In the above description, the sliders are adjacent to each other and the burrs on the cut surfaces facing each other are simultaneously removed. However, the sliders do not have to be adjacent to each other, and one of them may be a dummy member. That is, one of the adjacent sliders can be used as a first member, and the first member can be replaced with a dummy member instead of another cut slider. In this case, when the upper surface of the dummy member is the first surface, the first member and the first surface may be installed so as to have the same positional relationship as one of the sliders described above. Such a method is effective, for example, when removing flash on the cut surfaces at both ends of the sliders that are cut and aligned.

  In the above description, the slider is installed so that the medium facing surface is on the upper side, but the same effect can be obtained even if the medium facing surface is on the lower side. In this case, when the bar is mounted on the cutting jig, it is desirable to install the bar so that the medium facing surface faces the fixing surface 24 of the cutting jig 21 and to perform water repellent treatment on the back side of the medium facing surface.

  Finally, the effects of the present invention will be described together. As described above, the present invention removes the flash generated on the slider when the bar is cut and separated into individual sliders by irradiating an electromagnetic wave such as a laser. According to the present invention, since the flash itself can be removed, it is not necessary to consider the presence of the flash in the slider design, and one of the restrictions for further reducing the flying height of the slider is eliminated. In addition, since there is no increase factor of the cutting allowance width, such as providing a preliminary groove in order to suppress the influence of flash, it is easy to form more sliders on one wafer. Furthermore, it is not necessary to design a slider on the premise that the flash remains, leading to an increase in the degree of freedom in designing other parts such as the rail shape of the first surface of the medium.

  The present invention also has an advantage in terms of production efficiency. In other words, the present invention is cut into individual sliders from a bar, and then immersed in a liquid while being fixed to a cutting jig. Irradiate the laser. For this reason, no special equipment is required and labor is required as compared with the conventional method of removing the flash by polishing. Since it is easy to incorporate a laser irradiation step into the step of separating the slider, the working efficiency is improved. Laser irradiators that are generally available are sufficient, and no additional equipment is required to refract the laser.

It is a perspective view of the slider which concerns on the manufacturing method of the slider of this invention. It is a flowchart in 1st Embodiment of the manufacturing method of the slider of this invention. It is a step figure showing a manufacturing method of a slider of the present invention. It is a step figure showing a manufacturing method of a slider of the present invention. It is a fragmentary perspective view of the cut | disconnected bar | burr. It is a step figure showing a manufacturing method of a slider of the present invention. It is an enlarged view of the A section of FIG. It is sectional drawing in alignment with the 8-8 line of FIG. 6 which shows the manufacturing method of the slider of this invention. It is sectional drawing in alignment with the 8-8 line of FIG. 6 which shows the manufacturing method of the slider of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the effect of the flash removal of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the irradiation range of a laser beam. It is sectional drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment of the manufacturing method of the slider of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment of the manufacturing method of the slider of this invention. It is a step figure which shows the manufacturing method of the slider of a prior art. It is a step figure which shows the manufacturing method of the slider of a prior art. It is a step figure which shows the manufacturing method of the slider of a prior art. FIG. 14C is an enlarged view of the cut slider shown in FIG. 14C. It is sectional drawing which followed the XX line of FIG. 14D. It is sectional drawing along the YY line of FIG. 14D.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Slider 12 Bar 13 Elements 21 Cutting jig 31 Laser irradiation device 32 Laser light 41 Water tank C2 beam S2, S3 Cutting surface ABS Medium facing surface W Pure water W1, W2, W3, W4 Liquid surface

Claims (11)

A slider obtained plurality of elements to the slider to cut the bars are arranged and formed, and a first member having a first surface facing the cutting surface and the flat line orientation of the slider, a placement step of placing in a liquid having a horizontal liquid surface, said slider bearing surface or the back surface is the upper surface, and,該切section and the first face with respect to the horizontal liquid surface immersed in the liquid in a vertical orientation, and the upper surface of the upper surface and the first member of the slider is exposed both from the liquid and, between the該切section and the first surface, the meniscus Arranging the slider and the first member in the liquid so that a liquid surface having a curved surface shape is formed by:
An electromagnetic wave is irradiated from above the liquid surface forming the curved surface between the cut surface and the first surface, the electromagnetic wave is refracted by the liquid surface forming the curved surface, and incident on the cut surface, an irradiation step of reducing the bearing surface or height from the back of the burrs generated in the periphery of the cut surface,
The manufacturing method of the slider which has this.   The method for manufacturing a slider according to claim 1, further comprising a step of performing a water repellent treatment on a surface to be the upper surface of the slider and the first member prior to the arranging step.   3. The method for manufacturing a slider according to claim 1, wherein the first member is another cut slider, and the first surface is a cut surface of the other slider. 4.   The method of manufacturing a slider according to claim 3, wherein the arranging step includes arranging three or more sliders such that opposing surfaces of two adjacent sliders are the cut surfaces. The arrangement step, a plurality of said sliders, each upper surface becomes lower than the average liquid level of the liquid, comprising the curved surface shape is disposed in the liquid so as to form a convex, claim 3 or 5. A method for manufacturing a slider according to 4.   The method of manufacturing a slider according to claim 5, wherein the irradiating step includes irradiating the electromagnetic wave until the curved surface has a concave shape. The arrangement step, a plurality of said sliders, each upper surface becomes higher than the mean liquid surface level of the liquid, comprising the curved surface shape is disposed in the liquid so as to form a concave, claim 3 or 4 A manufacturing method of the slider described in 1. A cutting step of separating the bars into the individual sliders;
The cutting step includes holding the bar on a jig, and cutting the bar while being held on the jig,
The placement step comprises placing a plurality of said sliders are separated, the liquid in the body while holding the jig,
The manufacturing method of the slider of any one of Claim 3 to 7. The method for manufacturing a slider according to claim 3, wherein the upper surface of the slider is the medium facing surface.   The method of manufacturing a slider according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave is a laser having a wavelength of 200 to 3000 nm. The slider manufacturing method according to claim 10, wherein an irradiation amount of the laser is 0.5 to 6.0 mJ / mm ² .

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