JPH05114530A - Manufacture of soft magnetic alloy film and manufacture of magnetic head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the manufacturing method of a soft magnetic alloy film wherein magnetic anisotropy is imparted to an iron based nitride alloy film at the time of film formation, and high permeability is obtained in the hard direction of magnetization, and the manufacturing method of a magnetic head using said film. CONSTITUTION:The manufacturing method of a soft magnetic alloy film 2 is as follows; vapor-deposited particles 3 are made to enter a substrate 1 averagely obliquely, a film is formed, heat treatment is performed, and anisotropic magnetic field in the direction of hard magnetization is made 300-1500A/m. The manufacturing method of a magnetic head is as follows; the average incidence direction of the vapor-deposited particles 3 to the substrate 1 is adjusted, a film is formed, heat treatment is performed, and magnetic anisotropy wherein the track width direction of the soft magnetic alloy film 2 turns to the direction of easy magnetization is imparted to the film.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film which becomes a microcrystalline aggregate at least after heat treatment, that is, a microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film, and a magnetic method using the same. The present invention relates to a head manufacturing method, and more particularly to a soft magnetic alloy film and a magnetic head manufacturing method suitable for manufacturing a magnetic head for a hard disk or a VTR.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to cope with a high coercive force of a magnetic recording medium and a narrow gap of a magnetic head, a magnetic head using a soft magnetic alloy film having high saturation magnetization and excellent soft magnetic characteristics has been put into practical use. There is. A typical structure of a magnetic head using a soft magnetic alloy film is a metal-in-gap type magnetic head in which a highly saturated magnetization soft magnetic alloy film such as an amorphous alloy film is arranged near the magnetic gap of a head core made of ferrite. (Hereinafter referred to as MIG head), and a thin film magnetic head (hereinafter referred to as thin film head) in which the entire magnetic path is formed of a soft magnetic alloy film such as an amorphous alloy film and is formed by using a photolithography technique or the like. In the manufacture of the MIG head, a magnetic alloy film having a high saturation magnetization is formed on a ferrite substrate by a sputtering deposition method or the like to a film thickness of about 1 to 100 μm, and then a magnetic gap is formed by heat treatment using an adhesive glass or the like. Is formed. Further, in the manufacture of the thin film head, a magnetic alloy film, a nonmagnetic insulating film, a nonmagnetic metal film for a coil, and the like are sequentially formed on a nonmagnetic substrate and processed into a desired shape by using a photolithography technique or the like.

In such a magnetic head, if the flow of the magnetic flux through the magnetic path is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the easy axis of magnetization, high magnetic permeability can be obtained in the direction required for the ring head, and good electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be obtained. It is known that a magnetic head having For this purpose, magnetic anisotropy of an appropriate strength having an easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction may be given to the soft magnetic alloy film. For example, in a thin film head, an amorphous alloy film having an easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction and an anisotropic magnetic field of about 500 to 1500 A / m is used, and a narrow track head having a track width of 50 μm or less is good. Excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics are obtained. Similarly, also in the MIG head, good electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be obtained by using a soft magnetic alloy film having an easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction.

[0004]

In order to obtain a magnetic head with higher performance, a soft magnetic alloy film having a high saturation magnetization is used in comparison with a conventional magnetic head using a soft magnetic alloy film such as an amorphous alloy. The magnetic head used is required. As a magnetic alloy film having a higher saturation magnetization than that of an amorphous alloy and excellent in soft magnetic characteristics, an iron-based soft magnetic alloy film containing nitrogen by the present inventors (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 61-54054). , Japanese Patent Application No. 1-262406, Japanese Patent Application No. 1-300506, Japanese Patent Application No. 2-113882), nitrogen and oxygen,
An iron-based magnetic alloy film containing nitrogen and carbon at the same time has been reported. In such an iron-based magnetic alloy film, an element having a stronger chemical affinity for nitrogen than iron, such as Nb or T, is used.
It contains a, Zr, B, Si and the like. It is considered that these nitrides suppress the crystal grain growth of iron or the like having a body-centered cubic lattice that occurs after heat treatment and form microcrystalline aggregates in the magnetic alloy film. Each of the iron-based magnetic alloy films containing nitrogen, that is, the microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film exhibits high saturation magnetization and good soft magnetic characteristics.

The microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film has a high saturation magnetization and can be expected to have good electromagnetic conversion characteristics when used in a magnetic head. However, in consideration of the recording efficiency and the reproducing efficiency of the magnetic head, it is necessary to obtain a high magnetic permeability in the direction required for the ring head, that is, the magnetic path direction. However, a low-magnetostriction and high-permeability microcrystalline iron-based nitride alloy film has an anisotropic magnetic field value of 3 which is induced only by heat treatment in a magnetic field.
The magnetic anisotropy is insufficient to control the magnetic domain structure in the narrow track head. In consideration of these points, the present inventors have developed a method for producing a magnetic alloy film (Japanese Patent Application No. 3-10619) that enables control of the magnetic domain structure even when the anisotropic magnetic field is small, but it is still lower. A method for directly increasing the anisotropy field in a microcrystalline iron-based nitride alloy film with magnetostriction and high magnetic permeability has been investigated.

According to the present invention, a microcrystalline iron-based nitride alloy film having a small anisotropic magnetic field obtained only by heat treatment in a magnetic field is provided with magnetic anisotropy depending on the manufacturing conditions at the time of film formation, so that the direction of the hard axis of magnetization is increased. Also provided is a method of manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film having a high magnetic permeability. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a magnetic head in which good electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be obtained in a MIG head and a thin film head by the same method.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, when an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film which becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment is formed on a substrate by a sputter deposition method, the alloy of the substrate is used. A film is formed by inclining the average incident direction of the vapor deposition particles with respect to the normal direction of the film formation surface so that the vapor deposition particles are obliquely incident on the substrate evenly, and then performing a heat treatment to soften the film. A method of manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film that imparts magnetic anisotropy to a magnetic nitride alloy film is used.

In this case, a soft magnetic alloy film having a particularly high magnetic permeability can be obtained by using the magnetic anisotropy in which the anisotropic magnetic field in the hard axis direction is 300 to 1500 A / m as the magnetic anisotropy. In the method for manufacturing the soft magnetic alloy film described above,
As an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film that becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment, Fe as a main component is Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti,
The effect is particularly high when a nitride alloy film containing one or more of Hf, V, Cr, Al, B, Si and Ge is used.

When a magnetic head is manufactured in the same manner as described above, an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film which becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment is directly or indirectly formed on a ferrite substrate or a non-magnetic substrate by a sputter deposition method. When forming into
The vapor deposition particles are deposited on the ferrite substrate by inclining the average incident direction of the vapor deposition particles with respect to the normal direction of the alloy film forming surface of the ferrite substrate or the non-magnetic substrate so that the track width direction becomes the easy axis of magnetization. On the other hand, a method of manufacturing a magnetic head in which a film is formed so as to be obliquely incident on average, and then a heat treatment is performed to impart magnetic anisotropy with the track width direction of the soft magnetic nitride alloy film as an easy axis of magnetization. To use.

In this case, by using the magnetic anisotropy in which the anisotropic magnetic field in the hard axis direction is 300 to 1500 A / m as the magnetic anisotropy, a magnetic head having excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be obtained. Further, in the above-described magnetic head manufacturing method, the iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film that becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment has Fe as the main component and contains at least Nb and T.
a, Zr, Ti, Hf, V, Cr, Al, B, Si, G
The effect is particularly high when a nitride alloy film containing one or more kinds of e is used.

[0011]

The method for producing a magnetic alloy film and the method for producing a magnetic head according to the present invention relates to a microcrystalline iron-based nitride alloy film having a small anisotropic magnetic field which can be obtained only by heat treatment in a magnetic field. The magnetic field can be increased.

In a thin line-shaped soft magnetic alloy film called a stripe shape, the easy axis of magnetization tends to be oriented in the major axis direction in which the demagnetizing field is small with respect to the film thickness and line width direction, and the initial permeability in this major axis direction is increased. Magnetic susceptibility becomes low. In order to increase the initial magnetic permeability in the long axis direction with a thin wire shape, it is necessary to give an appropriate amount of magnetic anisotropy in the line width direction etc., but low magnetic strain results in high magnetic permeability. In the case of the microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film, the anisotropic magnetic field obtained by the heat treatment in the magnetic field is small, and the shape effect such as the demagnetizing field cannot be canceled. A method of improving this and increasing the anisotropic magnetic field is a method of using oblique incidence of vapor deposition particles during film formation. The method using oblique incidence means that when an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film, which becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment by a sputter deposition method, is formed on a substrate, the direction normal to the alloy film formation surface of the substrate The film is formed so that the average incident direction of the vapor deposition particles is inclined so that the vapor deposition particles are incident on the substrate at an average angle. When such oblique incidence is performed, magnetic anisotropy having easy magnetic domains is imparted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the incident direction of vapor-deposited particles with respect to the average substrate in the formed film surface. It The direction perpendicular to the easy axis of magnetization in the film plane becomes the hard axis of magnetization, and a high initial permeability can be obtained. However, the easy magnetization axis and the hard magnetization axis given by oblique incidence are unclear in the state before the heat treatment, and become clear by the heat treatment. If the heat treatment temperature at this time is at least 300 ° C. and up to about 700 ° C., the obliquely incident anisotropic magnetic field is maintained.
Further, this magnetic anisotropy was stable even after a heat treatment in a magnetic field for a long time, and the anisotropic magnetic field and the magnetic permeability in the hard axis direction were maintained until at least 550 ° C. for 4 hours. The magnetic anisotropy induced by the oblique incidence of vapor deposition particles during film formation as described above has been known in crystalline alloy films, such as pure iron, in which crystal grains are relatively large and columnar structures are easily formed. However, it is not easily inferred that the iron-based nitride alloy film, which is considered to be such a microcrystalline aggregate, also occurs, and it is known that the easy axis of magnetization and the like cannot be clearly shown until after the heat treatment. I didn't.

When magnetic anisotropy of an appropriate size is imparted in this way, even in the case of a microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film, by using the direction of the hard axis of magnetization, a high magnetic permeability can be obtained in the long axis direction of the thin wire shape. can get. When only heat treatment in a static magnetic field is used without oblique incidence, a high magnetic permeability can be obtained in a shape having a small demagnetizing field, but the anisotropic magnetic field is as small as about 200 to 300 A / m, and thus it is processed into a thin line shape. After that, high magnetic permeability cannot be obtained in the long axis direction. That is, an anisotropic magnetic field of 300 A / m or more is required to obtain a high magnetic permeability in the direction of the long axis of the thin wire shape. On the contrary, in a soft magnetic alloy film having a saturation magnetization of about 1.3 to 1.7 T, if the anisotropic magnetic field is 1500 A / m or less in the hard axis direction, a high relative magnetic permeability of at least about 800 or more can be obtained. .. Therefore, as the magnetic anisotropy of an appropriate size, the anisotropic magnetic field in the direction of the hard axis is 3
By using the magnetic anisotropy of 00 to 1500 A / m, a soft magnetic alloy film having a particularly high magnetic permeability can be obtained.

In the above soft magnetic alloy film, the microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film uses an iron-based alloy target containing an element having a strong chemical affinity for nitrogen, and nitrogen gas is added to the sputtering gas such as argon. It is formed by the reactive sputter deposition method of mixing, but there is no problem even if a small amount of oxygen gas or methane gas is added during sputtering. In this microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film, a soft magnetic alloy film having particularly high saturation magnetization and thermally stable and good soft magnetic properties can be obtained by forming at least Nb with Fe as a main component at the time of forming the alloy film by the sputtering method. Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf, V, Cr, Al, B,
It is obtained by using an alloy containing one or more kinds of Si and Ge as an alloy target.

When manufacturing a magnetic head using a soft magnetic alloy film, good electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be obtained by using a soft magnetic alloy film having an easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction in a MIG head or a thin film head. However, the soft magnetic alloy film in the vicinity of the gap of such a magnetic head has the same shape as the above-mentioned thin line shape, and when the microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film is used, the magnetic anisotropy obtained only by heat treatment in a magnetic field is obtained. Is smaller, the easy axis cannot be maintained in the track width direction due to the shape effect. As a means for improving this, the film formation of the soft magnetic alloy film by oblique incidence described above can be used when manufacturing a magnetic head. That is, an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film that becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment, that is, a microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film is formed so that vapor deposition particles obliquely enter the substrate during film formation, Good magnetic conversion characteristics can be achieved by obtaining a magnetic head whose axis of easy magnetization is in the width direction. This magnetic head manufacturing method can be applied to the manufacture of MIG heads and thin film heads. MIG
In the case of the head, the magnetic alloy film is formed on the ferrite substrate, but the magnetic alloy film may be directly formed on the ferrite substrate, or a non-magnetic diffusion prevention layer of about several nm is formed on the ferrite substrate. It may be formed indirectly after the process. In the case of a thin film head, a magnetic alloy film, an insulating film, a conductive metal film, and the like are sequentially stacked, and the above steps can be applied to at least the magnetic layer.

[0016]

EXAMPLES Example 1 An example of the method for manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a method of manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film according to the present invention. Although it is a conceptual view, the soft magnetic alloy film 2 formed on a non-magnetic substrate 1 and the soft magnetic alloy film 2 are shown. The vapor deposition particles 3 for forming, and their average incident directions 4 and the like are shown. In FIG. 1, the average incidence direction 4 of the vapor deposition particles 3 sputter-deposited by the reactive sputtering method forms an angle θ with the normal direction 5 on the surface of the nonmagnetic substrate 1. The state where θ> 0 ° is the oblique incidence of the vapor-deposited particles 3, and the state where θ is substantially 0 ° is called the normal incidence. This θ
If it is not 0 °, the light is obliquely incident, but it is preferably 5 ° or more in order to induce appropriate magnetic anisotropy. When the film is formed by such oblique incidence, even in the case of a Fe-based single-layer nitride alloy film or a composition-modulated nitride alloy film, the soft magnetic alloy film 2 within the plane as shown in the Y direction of FIG. The uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is induced in the direction perpendicular to the vapor deposition particles 3.
If the easy axis of magnetization is in the Y direction, it will be Y in the plane of the soft magnetic alloy film 2.
The X direction perpendicular to the direction becomes the hard axis of magnetization, and a high initial permeability can be obtained in the X direction. In the case of these uniaxial magnetic anisotropies, the easy magnetization axis and the hard magnetization axis are axisymmetric, and the same is true even if the direction is changed by 180 °.

The process of forming the soft magnetic alloy film as described above is realized by the arrangement of the alloy target 6 and the non-magnetic substrate 1 as shown in the perspective view of the sputtering apparatus (FIG. 2).
Although FIG. 2 shows only the disc-shaped alloy target 6 and the non-magnetic substrate 1 in the sputtering apparatus, a high voltage is applied to the alloy target 6 to cause the sputtering phenomenon. In this case, the surface of the alloy target 6 is uniformly sputtered, and there is no erosion caused by local spattering or the like. What is incident from the vicinity of the center of the alloy target 6 onto the central portion of the non-magnetic substrate 1 is the vapor deposition particles. Three
The average incident direction of 4 is 4. As an example, a non-magnetic substrate is fixed at a position corresponding to A in FIG.
Using an alloy target 6 having a composition of Fe _86.9 Nb _4.5 Zr _{8.6 and} a diameter of mm, sputter deposition was performed while mixing nitrogen gas into argon gas of 0.5 Pa, and the oblique incident angle θ was set to about 60 °. A 1.7 μm Fe-based nitride film was formed. At this time, a soft magnetic alloy film produced by periodically mixing nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) of 0.05 Pa, that is, a composition-modulated nitrided alloy film, has a difference of 680 A / m in the hard axis direction after heat treatment at 550 ° C. An isotropic magnetic field and a high initial permeability of 1400 were obtained. Further, in a soft magnetic alloy film produced by constantly mixing 0.025 Pa of nitrogen gas (N ₂ ), that is, in a single-layer nitrided alloy film, after heat treatment at 550 ° C.
An anisotropic magnetic field of 60 A / m and a high magnetic permeability of 1800 were obtained. These soft magnetic alloy films show magnetic characteristics similar to those after heat treatment at 550 ° C. even after heat treatment at 600 ° C., and after heat treatment, microcrystalline aggregates composed of fine crystal grains of α-Fe, Nb-N, Zr-N, etc. The soft magnetic alloy film has a high saturation magnetization of 1.6 T and a low magnetostriction of 2 × 10 ⁻⁶ or less in absolute value. Fe _85.2 T using the same sputtering equipment
a _3.4 Zr _11.4 and Fe _{88. 5} Nb ₄ when using an alloy target of various compositions of Zr _7.5 etc. Also, if the non-magnetic substrate 1 is fixed to the A position 300~1500A hard magnetization axis direction
It was possible to obtain a soft magnetic alloy film having a relatively strong anisotropic magnetic field of about / m and a high relative initial magnetic permeability of 800 or more.

In the case of the sputtering apparatus of FIG. 2, near the position B on the center line of the alloy target, substantially vertical incidence of vapor deposition particles occurs and a strong anisotropic magnetic field cannot be obtained. The incident magnetic anisotropy was similarly obtained at the C position which was symmetric with respect to the center line of the alloy target. Also, when the substrate was sequentially moved from the A position to the B position and then to the C position, magnetic anisotropy was obtained with the easy magnetization axis in the same direction as when the substrate was fixed at the A position. This means that when the substrate position moves from A to C, the incident angle θ of the vapor deposition particles 3 changes to temporarily become θ = 0 °, but on average θ> 0 ° and the angle changes. However, it is considered that the directions in which the magnetic anisotropy is induced are the same. In this case, in the composition-modulated nitrided alloy film, after heat treatment at 550 ° C., 520
An anisotropic magnetic field of A / m and a high specific initial magnetic permeability of 2000 are obtained, and in the case of a single-layer nitride alloy film, it is 440 after heat treatment at 550.
An anisotropic magnetic field of A / m and a high initial permeability of 2200 were obtained. The above is the case where there is no erosion of the alloy target, but the same is true when erosion occurs, and the average incident direction is the average of the incident angles from all the erosion.

Next, an example in which two alloy targets are used will be described. (FIG. 3) is a schematic view of a sputtering apparatus showing a method for producing a soft magnetic alloy film of the present invention. Two rectangular alloy targets 6 facing each other in the sputtering apparatus.
And only the non-magnetic substrate 1 is shown. The high voltage is applied to the alloy target 6 to cause the spattering phenomenon, and there is no erosion, which is the same as the above-described embodiment. Using an apparatus as shown in FIG. 3, two alloy targets 6 each having a length of 160 mm, a width of 100 mm and a composition of Fe ₉₀ Nb _3.4 Zr _6.6 were used, and nitrogen gas was mixed in 0.13 Pa of argon gas. While carrying out sputter deposition, an oblique incident angle θ was set to about 40 ° to form a Fe-based nitride film having a film thickness of 2 μm. At this time, a soft magnetic alloy film produced by periodically mixing nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) of 0.014 Pa, that is, a composition-modulated nitrided alloy film, has a difference of 460 A / m in the direction of the hard axis after the heat treatment at 550 ° C. An isotropic magnetic field and a high initial permeability of 2100 were obtained. Further, in a single-layer nitrided alloy film produced by constantly mixing nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) of 0.007 Pa, after heat treatment at 550 ° C., 500 in the hard axis direction.
An anisotropic magnetic field of A / m and a high magnetic permeability of 1900 were obtained.
These soft magnetic alloy films remain 5 even after heat treatment at 600 ° C.
It shows magnetic properties equivalent to those after heat treatment at 50 ° C., and after heat treatment, it becomes a fine crystal aggregate consisting of fine crystal grains such as α-Fe, Nb-N, Zr-N, and has a high saturation magnetization of 1.65T. The soft magnetic alloy film had a low magnetostriction with an absolute value of 1 × 10 ⁻⁶ or less. Even when alloy targets of various compositions such as Fe ₈₉ Nb ₇ Zr ₄ were used in the same sputtering apparatus, a strong anisotropic magnetic field of about 300 to 1500 A / m was applied in the hard magnetization axis direction.
It was possible to obtain a soft magnetic alloy film having a high relative magnetic permeability of 00 or more.

The composition-modulated nitrided alloy film having an anisotropic magnetic field of 500 A / m produced as described above was processed into a fine line shape by the photolithography technique. The obtained fine line shape had a length of 25 mm, a thickness of 2 μm, and a width of 30 μm, and when the longitudinal direction was set as the hard axis of magnetization, a high initial magnetic permeability of 1700 was obtained in this direction. On the other hand, as a comparative example, the magnetic permeability of the sample in which the soft magnetic alloy film formed at normal incidence was only heat-treated in a magnetic field was about 200.
Therefore, the soft magnetic alloy film produced by the manufacturing method of the present invention can obtain a high magnetic permeability even in a thin wire shape having a strong demagnetizing field, and can be applied to a thin film inductor or a magnetic head that requires a high magnetic permeability in the thin wire shape. Can be applied.

Similarly, Fe ₈₈ Nb ₁₂ , Fe ₉₃ Zr ₇ , F
e ₈₇ Ta ₁₃ , Fe ₈₅ Ti ₁₅ , Fe ₈₅ Hf ₁₅ , Fe ₈₈ Cr
₅ Zr ₇ , Fe ₈₈ V ₅ Zr ₇ , Fe ₈₈ B ₁₂ , Fe ₈₀ Nb ₈ S
Even when a microcrystalline iron-based nitrided alloy film is formed by mixing nitrogen gas into argon gas using an alloy target having a composition of i ₁₂ , Fe ₇₉ Al ₃ Ge ₃ B _15, etc. An anisotropic magnetic field larger than that obtained by heat treatment in a magnetic field was obtained. The microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film to which the manufacturing method of the present invention can be applied is particularly effective because the anisotropic magnetic field obtained by heat treatment in a magnetic field in a low magnetostriction state is small. The microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film described here may be either a single-layer film or a multi-layer film, contains an element having a chemical affinity for nitrogen etc. which is stronger than iron, and these nitrides etc. Any system that suppresses crystal grain growth of iron or the like having a cubic lattice may be used. Therefore, as an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film that becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment,
Fe as a main component and at least Nb, Ta, Zr, T
The application of the present invention is effective for a soft magnetic alloy film containing one or more kinds of i, Hf, V, Cr, Al, B, Si and Ge.

(Embodiment 2) As a second embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a magnetic head will be described.

Metal-in-gap type magnetic head (MIG
A method of manufacturing the head will be described. (FIG. 4) is a perspective view of the I-shaped core of the core half body for manufacturing the MIG head,
(FIG. 5) shows a perspective view of a C-shaped core. The C-shaped core is
A winding hole for winding is formed on a surface which becomes a magnetic gap surface when a magnetic head is manufactured. 1 and 2 on the I-shaped ferrite substrate 7 and the C-shaped ferrite substrate 8 made of bulk Mn—Zn ferrite in FIGS.
Forming a diffusion prevention layer of 0 nm aluminum oxide,
An iron-based soft magnetic alloy film 2 containing nitrogen and forming a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment by reactive sputtering was formed by oblique incidence thereon. At the time of film formation, Fe ₉₀ Nb _3.4 Zr _6.6 was formed using the sputtering apparatus shown in (FIG. 3) of the first embodiment.
Two alloy targets are used, the average incident angle θ is set to about 40 °, and the average incident angle θ is set to 0.014 in an argon gas of 0.13 Pa.
Nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) of Pa was periodically mixed and sputter deposition was performed to form a Fe-based composition-modulated nitride alloy film having a film thickness of 4 μm. The soft magnetic alloy film 2 thus produced is
It has uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with the easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction of the magnetic head, that is, the Y direction in (FIG. 4) and (FIG. 5), and high magnetic permeability can be obtained at least in the X direction.

The two kinds of half cores on which the soft magnetic alloy film 2 is formed in this manner are integrated with adhesive glass,
A head core block capable of obtaining a plurality of head chips was formed. At this time, a gap material such as silicon oxide is formed on the soft magnetic alloy film 2 having the I-shaped core and the C-shaped core, and the surfaces are butted against each other and bonded by the adhesive glass in a magnetic field of 550 ° C. for 60 minutes. It was performed by heat treatment. Here, the geomagnetism of about 20 A / m is applied during the heat treatment in the absence of magnetic field, but it is not a problem because it is weak. Then, a head chip was cut out from the head core block by mechanical cutting to form an MIG head.

The MIG head manufactured as described above has the easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction, and the anisotropic magnetic field of 460 A / m and 2100 in the direction of the hard axis perpendicular thereto.
MIG using a soft magnetic alloy film having a high relative initial permeability
It was a head, and showed a good head output equivalent to that of the MIG head using the Co-based amorphous alloy film on the high frequency side. Further, the microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film of this example is 1.
Since it has a high saturation magnetization of 65T, the recording characteristics on the low frequency side with respect to the high coercive force medium are particularly excellent, and it is 3d more than the MIG head using the Co-based amorphous alloy film on the low frequency side.
The output of B was improved. Such a good electromagnetic conversion characteristic is obtained by forming a film so that the vapor deposition particles are obliquely incident on the ferrite substrate evenly, and having a magnetic anisotropy of an appropriate size having an easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction of the MIG head. This was achieved because the toughness was obtained with the microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film. This moderately large magnetic anisotropy cannot be obtained only by heat treatment in a magnetic field, and is caused by oblique incidence during film formation.

In the above MIG head manufacturing method, the soft magnetic alloy film is indirectly formed between the ferrite substrate and the ferrite substrate. It may be formed directly on top. In addition to aluminum oxide, a layer of silicon oxide or the like may be provided as the diffusion prevention layer without causing any problem.

Next, a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head (thin film head) will be described. FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a lower magnetic layer for producing a thin film head. In the production of (FIG. 6), an iron-based soft magnetic alloy film 2 containing nitrogen by a reactive sputtering method and becoming a fine crystal aggregate after heat treatment is obliquely incident on a non-magnetic substrate 1 made of crystallized glass. Then, a film was formed by the method described above, and processed by using a photolithography technique. At the time of film formation, an alloy target having a composition of Fe _86.9 Nb _4.5 Zr _8.6 was used in the sputtering apparatus shown in (FIG. 2) of the first embodiment, and a non-magnetic substrate was fixed at a position corresponding to A and averaged. A Fe-based composition-modulated nitrided alloy film having a thickness of 5 μm was formed by periodically mixing 0.05 Pa of nitrogen gas (N ₂ ) into 0.5 Pa of argon gas with an incident angle θ of about 60 °. Formed. The soft magnetic alloy film 2 thus manufactured has uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with the easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction of the magnetic head, that is, the Y direction in (FIG. 6), and at least in the X direction. High magnetic permeability is obtained. After the formation of this soft magnetic alloy film, a resist was applied, the resist was developed into a desired shape, and then processed by ion etching. The shape of the soft magnetic alloy film 2 in FIG. 6 is the shape of the lower magnetic layer used in the thin film head, and the thin wire-shaped front portion 10 is the head front side after being processed into the thin film head. Similarly, a nonmagnetic glass layer for a magnetic gap, a coil layer made of a nonmagnetic metal film, an electrical insulating layer, an upper magnetic layer and a protective insulating layer are formed on the lower magnetic layer in the same manner thereafter. Is obtained. In the manufacturing process of such a thin film head, basically, it is manufactured in the direction of stacking from the lower magnetic layer side to the upper magnetic layer side.
By using the above-described manufacturing method of the present invention for each magnetic layer, a high magnetic permeability can be obtained in the long axis direction of the fine wire shape in the front portion 10, so that a thin film magnetic head having good electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be obtained. ..

Such a good electromagnetic conversion characteristic is obtained by depositing vapor-deposited particles so that they are obliquely incident on the ferrite substrate evenly, and having an appropriate size having an easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction of the MIG head. This was achieved because the magnetic anisotropy of was obtained with the microcrystalline iron-based nitride alloy film. This moderately large magnetic anisotropy cannot be obtained only by heat treatment in a magnetic field, and is caused by oblique incidence during film formation.

As the soft magnetic alloy film applied to the manufacturing method of the MIG head and the thin film head described above, the microcrystalline iron-based nitride alloy film having a small anisotropic magnetic field obtained by the heat treatment in the magnetic field is remarkably effective. is there. As described in the first embodiment, the microcrystallized iron-based nitride alloy film may be either a single-layer film or a multi-layer film, and contains an element having a stronger chemical affinity for nitrogen etc. than iron. It is sufficient that the nitride or the like is a system that suppresses crystal grain growth of iron or the like having a body-centered cubic lattice. Therefore, as an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film that becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment, at least Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf, V
The application of the present invention is effective for a nitride alloy film containing one or more kinds of Cr, Al, B, Si and Ge, and a magnetic head having particularly excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics can be obtained.

[0031]

The method of manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film according to the present invention has a large magnetic field depending on manufacturing conditions at the time of film formation for a microcrystalline iron-based nitride alloy film having a small anisotropic magnetic field obtained by heat treatment in a magnetic field. Anisotropy can be imparted, which makes it possible to obtain a soft magnetic alloy film having high magnetic permeability in the hard axis direction even in the case of a soft magnetic alloy film having a strong demagnetizing field. . The method of manufacturing a magnetic head of the present invention is
Using such a method for manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film of the present invention, M
This is a method of manufacturing a magnetic head such as an IG head or a thin film head that can obtain good electromagnetic conversion characteristics.

Therefore, the method for producing the magnetic alloy film and the method for producing the magnetic head according to the present invention have high industrial utility value.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate and a soft magnetic alloy film showing a method for manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sputtering apparatus showing a method for manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a sputtering apparatus showing a method for manufacturing a soft magnetic alloy film of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an I-shaped core showing a method of manufacturing a magnetic head of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a C-shaped core showing a method of manufacturing a magnetic head of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a lower magnetic layer of a thin film head showing a method of manufacturing a magnetic head of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Non-Magnetic Substrate 2 Soft Magnetic Alloy Film 3 Evaporated Particles 4 Average Incident Direction 5 Substrate Normal Line 6 Alloy Target 7 I-Shaped Ferrite Substrate 8 C-Shaped Ferrite Substrate 9 Winding Groove 10 Front Part

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Akihiro Ashida 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Ken Ken Takahashi, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. When forming an iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film, which becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment, on a substrate by a sputter deposition method, vapor-deposited particles are formed in a direction normal to an alloy film formation surface of the substrate. Of the vapor-deposited particles so that the vapor-deposited particles are obliquely incident on the substrate on average, and then subjected to heat treatment to impart magnetic anisotropy to the soft magnetic nitride alloy film. Method for manufacturing soft magnetic alloy film. 2. The method for producing a soft magnetic alloy film according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic anisotropy is such that an anisotropic magnetic field in the hard axis direction is 300 to 1500 A / m. 3. An iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film that becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment, containing Fe as a main component and Nb, T
a, Zr, Ti, Hf, V, Cr, Al, B, Si, G
The method for producing a soft magnetic alloy film according to claim 1, wherein a nitride alloy film containing one or more kinds of e is used. 4. When the iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film, which becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment, is formed directly or indirectly on a ferrite substrate or a non-magnetic substrate by a sputter deposition method, the track width direction is magnetized. The vapor-deposited particles are averaged with respect to the ferrite substrate by inclining the average incident direction of the vapor-deposited particles with respect to the normal direction of the alloy film formation surface of the ferrite substrate or the non-magnetic substrate so as to be the easy axis. A method of manufacturing a magnetic head, wherein a film is formed so as to be obliquely incident, and then a heat treatment is performed to impart magnetic anisotropy with the easy axis of magnetization in the track width direction of the soft magnetic nitride alloy film. 5. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head according to claim 4, wherein the magnetic anisotropy is such that an anisotropic magnetic field in the hard axis direction is 300 to 1500 A / m. 6. An iron-based soft magnetic nitride alloy film, which becomes a microcrystalline aggregate after heat treatment, containing Fe as a main component and containing at least Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf, V, Cr, Al, and B.
6. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head according to claim 4, wherein a nitride alloy film containing one or more kinds of Si and Ge is used.