JPH04245008A - Manufacture of thin-film magnetic head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate carbonization or perforation of a resist mask regarding a process for producing an upper magnetic pole of a thin-film magnetic head using the ion milling method. CONSTITUTION:One portion of upper and lower magnetic poles 2 and 9 of a thin-film magnetic head is extended for obtaining a ground wire 10 and is grounded to an ion milling device main body 12. After an electric charge of Ar ion which is emitted from an ion gun reaches a substrate, it is propagated on this ground wire 10 and escapes to the main body of the ion milling device. A test using a prototype thin-film head resulted in no carbonization and perforation of a resist mask.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a thin film magnetic head suitable for high-density magnetic recording, and in particular, when forming a magnetic film that will become the upper magnetic pole by an ion milling method using a resist mask, carbonization and holes in the resist mask are produced. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head, which is characterized in that it does not cause voids or the like.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art The process of etching the upper magnetic pole of a thin film magnetic head using ion milling will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in Figure (a), a lower magnetic pole 2, a gap layer 3, a coil 4, and an insulating layer 5 are sequentially laminated on a substrate 1, and then a magnetic film 6 is laminated, and then an upper magnetic pole is layered on top of the magnetic film 6. A resist mask 7 having the same shape is formed. Next, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the magnetic film is etched. As the etching method, an ion milling method in which Ar ions 8 are irradiated is used. As shown in FIG. 2C, the upper magnetic pole 9 of the thin-film magnetic head is formed in a portion that goes over the stepped portions of the insulating layer 5, the coil 4, etc., so its surface is uneven. When attempting to form a pattern in such a portion using the ion milling method, etching remains of the film tend to occur in the recessed portion. Therefore, even after visually confirming that the etching has been completed, ion milling is further performed for several minutes to completely remove the excess film. FIG. 8 schematically shows the thin film magnetic head manufactured in this manner. Incidentally, related methods for forming such an upper magnetic pole include, for example, JP-A No. 2-49210 and JP-A No. 2-567.
Examples include No. 11.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] When observing a thin film magnetic head manufactured by the conventional method with a microscope, it was found that the conventional technology could not operate from the time when it was visually confirmed that the etching was completed until the ion milling was completely completed. It has been found that no consideration was given to the process, resulting in problems such as carbonization or holes being formed over the entire surface of the resist mask on the substrate. When such a problem occurs, (1)
The resist mask could not be removed after ion milling (2) This caused problems such as the shape of the hole being transferred to the upper magnetic pole. The purpose of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems.

0004

Means for Solving the Problems FIG. 9 shows an explanatory diagram of the process of etching a magnetic film by a conventional method. The cause of carbonization and holes in the resist mask is that the charge of Ar ions released from the ion gun accumulates on the resist mask.
It was thought that this was due to a discharge occurring on the board. Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, the resist mask was always grounded to the ion milling apparatus until the ion milling was completely completed.

[0005]

[Operation] The present invention provides the following advantages when forming the upper magnetic pole of a thin film magnetic head by ion milling using a resist mask.
Since a part of the resist mask is grounded to the ion milling device body until ion milling is completely completed, the charge held by the Ar ions emitted from the ion gun is accumulated on the resist mask by being grounded. Instead, it has the role of releasing into the ion milling device itself. This prevents carbonization and holes from occurring in the resist mask.

[0006]

EXAMPLES (Example 1) Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention. In this example, the tip of the resist mask used when etching the magnetic film that becomes the upper magnetic pole was extended. The tip of this resist mask extends to the periphery of the substrate as shown in FIG. This substrate is mounted on an ion milling device, and as shown in FIG. 3, a part of the resist mask extending to the periphery of the substrate is grounded to the main body of the device. Next, ion milling is carried out, and when it becomes possible to visually confirm that the etching is almost complete, the pattern formed by the resist mask that extends the tip of the upper magnetic pole connects the ion milling device main body and the upper magnetic pole. It becomes a ground wire. After the charges of the Ar ions emitted from the ion gun reach the substrate, they travel through this ground wire and escape to the main body of the ion milling apparatus.

When the thin film magnetic head produced using this example was observed under a microscope, no carbonization or hole formation in the resist mask, which was observed in the conventional method, was observed, confirming the effect of the present invention.

(Embodiment 2) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention. In Example 1, the ground wire was provided on the upper magnetic pole, but in this example, it was provided on the lower magnetic pole. This utilizes the fact that the upper magnetic pole and the lower magnetic pole are electrically connected through a contact hole. Therefore, when the upper magnetic pole is ion-milled, the charge accumulated on the resist mask flows to the lower magnetic pole through this through hole and escapes to the ion milling apparatus main body through the ground wire, so that the same effect as in Example 1 can be obtained. .

(Embodiment 3) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention. In Examples 1 and 2, the ground wires were provided at the tips of the upper and lower magnetic poles, but in this embodiment, they were provided at the rear ends of the magnetic poles. In a thin film magnetic head, the path of magnetic flux is from the tip of the magnetic pole, through the magnetic pole, through the through hole, and then to the opposite magnetic pole and the tip of the magnetic pole. Therefore, even if the ground wire is provided further after the through hole, the flow of magnetic flux will not be obstructed. Therefore, the same effects as in Examples 1 and 2 can be obtained without deteriorating the performance of the thin film magnetic head.

(Embodiment 4) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention. In Examples 1, 2, and 3, the ground wire was used only to prevent carbonization and holes in the resist mask. In this embodiment, it is also used to prevent noise signals caused by static electricity generated between the thin film magnetic head and the magnetic disk. As in the third embodiment, the ground wire is provided at the rear end of the magnetic pole, and its tip extends to the periphery of the substrate, but a terminal for grounding the magnetic pole is provided in the middle of the ground wire. When the substrate is processed into a magnetic head slider, the magnetic pole grounding terminal is present on the slider.

[0011]

[Effects of the Invention] When the thin film magnetic head manufactured using this example was observed under a microscope, no carbonization or hole formation in the resist mask, which was observed in the conventional method, was observed, confirming the effects of the present invention. Ta.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thin film magnetic head showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a resist mask formed on a substrate using the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a process of etching a magnetic film using the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a thin film magnetic head showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a thin film magnetic head showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a thin film magnetic head showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a process of etching the upper magnetic pole using an ion milling method.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a conventional thin film magnetic head.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a process of etching a magnetic film using a conventional method.

[Explanation of symbols]

2... Lower magnetic pole, 6... Magnetic film, 7... Resist mask, 9...
Upper magnetic pole, 10...ground wire, 11...through hole.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic pole consisting of a lower magnetic pole and an upper magnetic pole formed by forming a magnetic film on a substrate, an insulating layer that electrically and magnetically separates the upper and lower magnetic poles, and a signal input/output within the insulating layer. In a thin-film magnetic head configured with a coil for performing the above-described process and two lead wires on the substrate for electrically connecting the coil and external wiring, the tip of the upper magnetic pole is located near the periphery of the substrate. A method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, characterized in that the method achieves the following. 2. The thin film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the pattern of the photomask used for manufacturing the thin film magnetic head has a shape in which the tip of the upper magnetic pole reaches the periphery of the photomask. Production method. 3. In the thin film magnetic head according to claim 1, when the upper magnetic pole is formed by an ion milling method using a resist mask, the tip of the upper magnetic pole is at ground potential. manufacturing method. 4. In the thin film magnetic head according to claim 1, 2 or 3, the top magnetic pole is electrically connected to the bottom magnetic pole, so that the tip of the bottom magnetic pole is connected to the ground potential instead of the top magnetic pole. A method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, characterized in that: 5. The pattern of the photomask used for manufacturing the thin film magnetic head according to claim 4 is characterized in that the tip of the lower magnetic pole reaches the periphery of the photomask. Production method. 6. Manufacturing a thin film magnetic head according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein the ground wire is provided at a portion other than the tip of the upper or lower magnetic pole. Method. 7. The thin film magnetic head according to claim 6, comprising:
A magnetic pole grounding terminal is provided in the middle of the ground wire, so that when the board is processed into a magnetic head slider, the ground wire can also be used to prevent noise signals due to static electricity generated between the thin-film magnetic head and the magnetic disk. A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, characterized in that: