JPH06111245A - Thin film magnetic head and fabrication thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance recording performance and machining yield of a thin film magnetic head being employed in magnetic disc or the like. CONSTITUTION:A gap layer 20 having thickness two times or more than that of a gap layer 10 but thinner than the second layer film of lower magnetic layer 9 is formed of same material as the gap layer 10 or a different nonmagnetic material at the rear part of the gap layer 10 with respect to the front face of a head, and a starting point of lower insulation layer 11 is set in the rear of an APEX point 19 where the thickness varies. This constitution decreases the unnecessary dimension Y of the gap depth 10 to enhance recording performance of a thin film magnetic head while furthermore increases yield in the machining.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thin film magnetic head having a good recording performance for use in a magnetic disk device and the like and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As the performance of magnetic disk devices increases, the thin film magnetic heads used therein are required to have various performances. Among them, in particular, in order to improve the linear recording density of the magnetic disk device, the improvement of the recording ability of the thin film magnetic head on the high coercive force medium has become a major issue.

A conventional thin film magnetic head will be described below. As shown in FIG. 3, an element is formed on a ceramic substrate by using a thin film forming technique to be used as a slider 3 for a magnetic disk device. When the thin film magnetic head is mounted on the apparatus, a gimbal is adhered to the levitation rail 5 in parallel with the rear surface side and used as a magnetic head assembly state. The thin film magnetic head element is formed on the front side of the slider 3. In the figure, 1 is an upper insulating layer, 2 is an upper magnetic layer, 4 is a terminal, and 6 is a back gap portion in which upper and lower magnetic layers are joined. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the thin film magnetic head has a structure in which a magnetic material such as permalloy is formed on a ceramic substrate 7 covered with an insulator 8 such as alumina formed by a sputtering method by an electroplating method or a sputtering method. A lower magnetic layer 9 formed by the above method, a gap layer 10 formed by alumina or the like by a sputtering method, a lower insulating layer 11 made of a resin such as a novolac resin or a polyimide resin, and a copper or the like by an electroplating method or the like. The formed lower coil layer 12 is sequentially laminated, and the middle insulating layer 13, the upper coil layer 14, the upper insulating layer 15, and the upper magnetic layer 16 are sequentially laminated thereon in the same manner as the lower layer of the same type. In addition, it is protected by a protective layer 17 made of an insulating material such as alumina.

Gap depth (hereinafter referred to as GD)
The end point (hereinafter referred to as APEX point) 19 of the position where the lower magnetic layer 9 and the upper magnetic layer 16 face each other through the gap layer 10 from the medium facing surface 18 of the thin film magnetic head.
The distance to has a great influence on the performance of the thin-film magnetic head, and is the most important dimension particularly with respect to recording ability. The thin film magnetic head has a finite X (3 to 15 μm) in the magnetic field generating region consisting of the lower magnetic layer 9, the gap layer 10 and the upper magnetic layer 16 appearing on the medium facing surface 18, and forms a magnetic circuit. Since it is thin, magnetic saturation easily occurs. D. The size has a large effect. Therefore, the G.V. D. Is regulated to about 0.5 to 2 μm, and the smaller this dimension, the higher the recording performance. However, some thin-film magnetic heads have a shape effect on the reproduction performance (a phenomenon in which the reproduction output increases or decreases as compared with a head of infinite length X in which ferrite is the main constituent material due to the relationship between the recording wavelength on the medium and the size X). In some cases, the desired characteristics of the reproduction characteristics are changed when the dimension X changes. Therefore, G.
D. Must be completed before the inclined portion of the upper magnetic layer 16 where the dimension of the upper magnetic layer 16 on the medium facing surface changes, the stable film thickness dimension Z of the medium facing surface 18 of the upper magnetic layer 16 is obtained. I can't get it. Therefore, G. D. Among these dimensions, there is an unnecessary dimension Y that always remains, and this unnecessary dimension Y limits the recording performance of the thin film magnetic head that utilizes the shape effect. The upper magnetic layer 16 is the gap layer 10,
The unnecessary dimension Y is proportional to the dimension Z of the upper magnetic layer 16 because it is formed substantially parallel to the upper magnetic layer formation surface including the lower insulating layer 11, the middle insulating layer 13, and the upper insulating layer 15. The larger the angle θ formed by the upper magnetic layer 16 and the gap layer 10, the larger the absolute value. This angle θ
Is an angle of 30 to 45 degrees from the viewpoint of the generated magnetic field as the tip angle of the thin film magnetic head, and the dimension Z is 2 μm, the unnecessary dimension Y is about 0.5 to 1 μm. This unnecessary dimension Y is the same as the above-mentioned G. D. When the size is regulated, the dimensional margin of processing is reduced and the processing yield is remarkably reduced. G. D. Since there is always an unnecessary dimension Y, which should be referred to as a residual depth, which cannot be further reduced, the restriction on improving the recording performance of the thin-film magnetic head is imposed. It has been a performance limit of the thin film magnetic head for the improvement of the linear recording density.

Further, when the APEX point 19 where the upper and lower magnetic layers facing each other with the film thickness of the gap layer 10 away from the head front face are separated by more than the film thickness of the gap layer 10 is formed of an insulating layer using a resin material, the insulating layer is applied. The tip angle θ varies due to the variation in the film thickness of the spin coating when performing the patterning and the variation in the pattern shape when forming the pattern, and as a result, the characteristics of the thin film magnetic head vary due to the variation in the unnecessary dimension Y.

When the APEX point 19 is determined by the resin material, the distance C from the APEX point 19 to the point where the film thickness of the lower magnetic layer 9 becomes thick and the dimension D of the film thickness of the second step of the lower magnetic layer 9 are set. In the case of variations, the thickness of the resin having a certain viscosity varies due to the influence thereof, and as a result, the tip angle θ varies and the characteristics of the thin film magnetic head vary.

[0007]

As described above, according to the conventional configuration and method, G. D. However, if the unnecessary dimension Y, which should be referred to as the remaining depth, is reduced, the yield decreases, and variations occur, resulting in deterioration of characteristics such as recording performance.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems. D. It is an object of the present invention to provide a thin film magnetic head capable of improving the characteristics such as recording performance by reducing the unnecessary dimension thereof and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, the thin film magnetic head of the present invention has a structure in which the gap layer has two or more stages having different film thicknesses, and the gap layer exposed on the front surface of the head has the smallest thickness. However, the thickness of the gap layer connected to it is thicker and thinner than that of the lower insulating layer, and the starting point of the lower insulating layer is located rearward of the front surface of the head from the point of increasing the thickness. It is a thing.

[0010]

In this structure, a point other than the insulating layer can be formed at a point where the upper and lower magnetic layers facing each other with respect to the thickness of the gap layer from the head front face are separated by more than the thickness of the gap layer.
Since the PEX points can be formed with minute steps, unnecessary dimensions can be made as small as possible.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the same parts as those described in the above embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The feature of this embodiment is that the second gap layer 20 is formed in a predetermined shape on the gap layer 10 as shown in FIGS. APEX is the starting point of the second gap layer 20 when viewed from the front of the head.
This is the point 19, and the gap layer 20 in the second step has a width at least from the APEX point 19 to the starting point of the lower insulating layer 11 and is not substantially the gap depth at the position where the upper and lower magnetic layers face each other. Thickness (gap layer 10
And the gap layer 20). The former is required to be about 1 to 5 μm, and the latter is required to be equal to or larger than the gap film thickness.

The thin film magnetic head of this embodiment is a G.I. D. The unnecessary dimension Y included in the dimension can be made smaller than that of the conventional thin film magnetic head, and the recording performance of the thin film magnetic head can be improved. When the film thickness of the second gap layer 20 is 0.5 μm, the unnecessary dimension Y is up to 0.3 μm. D. Can be reduced, and the recording performance of the thin film magnetic head can be improved.

Further, the point where the upper and lower magnetic layers facing each other in the thickness of the gap layer from the front surface of the head are separated by more than the thickness of the gap layer is basically better in film thickness distribution than the material formed by coating, such as sputtering or vapor deposition. Since it can be made of a material other than the insulating layer, it causes variations in film thickness when applying the insulating layer and APE.
Instability of the lower insulating layer 9 in which the tip angle θ varies due to variations in the distance C from the X point 19 to the point where the thickness of the lower magnetic layer 9 increases and the thickness D of the second step of the lower magnetic layer 9 The non-uniformity of the performance of the thin-film magnetic head based on the above can be configured.

A method of manufacturing the thin film magnetic head having the above structure will be described below.

The gap layer 20 in the second stage is unnecessary, for example, after the gap layer 10 is formed, a material that can be selectively etched with respect to the gap layer 10 is deposited on the entire surface of the substrate, and then patterned with a photoresist. The portion is removed by etching, and the material is left in a predetermined shape to form the second gap layer 20. When reactive ion etching is performed in etching, if the material of the gap layer 10 is general alumina, SiO ₂ is contained in the gap layer 20.
Or a silicon-based material such as Si ₃ N ₄ is used, and a fluorine-based gas such as CF ₄ , C ₂ F ₆ or CHF ₃ is used for etching.

When chemical etching is used for the etching, a material that is selectively etched with respect to the lower magnetic layer 9 and the gap layer 10, for example, the lower magnetic layer 9 is made of permalloy, iron-based or cobalt-based material, or amorphous. If so, copper, gold, titanium, or the like is used.
The etching solution used is ammonium persulfate system for copper, potassium iodide system for gold, and EDTA for titanium.
A system etching solution is effective.

When the second gap layer 20 is formed of the same material as that of the gap layer 10, an insulating material such as alumina is deposited by sputtering or the like to a total thickness of the gap layer 10 and the gap layer 20. The gap layer 10 can be obtained by covering only the region to be the gap layer 20 with a photoresist or the like and etching the region corresponding to the gap layer 10 by ion beam etching or the like. Here, it is also possible to adjust the inclination angle of the gap layer 20 by changing the angle of the ion beam. Also in this case, the gap layers 10 and 20 having a two-stage film thickness can be formed by using another method such as the lift-off method.

When the second gap layer 20 is made of a material different from that of the gap layer 10, the gap layer 10 opposite to the above-described method of forming the gap layer 20 on the gap layer 10 is used. The gap layer 20 may be formed below.

Further, since the structure of this embodiment is obtained by forming the two-step gap layer, the second-step gap layer 20 may be formed by the lift-off method which is a method other than the above-mentioned etching. There is no end. The second gap layer 20
After forming, the thin film magnetic head is completed in the same manner as the method described in the above-mentioned conventional example, and therefore the description thereof is omitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the gap layer 10 has a thickness of two or more steps, and a region where the film thickness is increased further behind the front surface of the head is set. By setting the APEX point 19 and making the starting point of the lower insulating layer 9 further rearward, as in the conventional case, the G.I. D. The unnecessary size Y of the size of G.G. D. It is possible to improve the recording performance by reducing the unnecessary dimension Y of the dimension. In addition, G. D. G by reducing the unnecessary dimension Y of G. D. The processing yield of can be improved. Also, APEX
By forming the point 19 with a layer having a film thickness parallel to the gap layer 10, a thin film magnetic head having uniform performance that is not affected by the position of the thicker point in the lower magnetic layer 9 and the fluctuation of the film thickness. Can be obtained. Further, by forming the second gap layer of metal, it is possible to reduce the leakage of the magnetic flux between the upper and lower magnetic layers and improve the performance due to the effect of the eddy current during the head operation.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above description of the embodiments, the present invention has a structure in which the gap layer has two or more stages having different film thicknesses, and the thickness of the gap layer exposed on the front surface of the head is minimized. The thickness of the continuous gap layer is thicker and thinner than that of the lower insulating layer, and the starting point of the lower magnetic layer is located rearward of the front surface of the head with respect to the point where the film thickness becomes thicker. D. It is possible to realize an excellent magnetic head and a method of manufacturing the same in which the unnecessary dimensions can be reduced and the characteristics such as recording performance can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part (cross section BB ′ of FIG. 3B) of a thin film magnetic head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

3A is a schematic perspective view of a thin-film magnetic head, and FIG. 3B is a schematic front view of an element portion shown by A in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a main part of a conventional thin film magnetic head (B in FIG. 3B).
-B 'cross section)

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 9 Lower magnetic layer 10 Gap layer 11 Lower insulating layer 12 Lower coil layer 13 Middle insulating layer 14 Upper coil layer 15 Upper insulating layer 16 Upper magnetic layer 20 Second gap layer

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A thin-film magnetic head having an element portion having upper and lower magnetic layers, upper and lower coil layers, an insulating layer, and a gap layer, the head layer being formed on the gap layer with respect to a head front surface. Parallel to the lower magnetic layer, and using the same material as the gap layer or a different non-magnetic material, at least twice the film thickness of the gap layer, and from the second step thickness of the lower magnetic layer. A thin film magnetic head in which a second gap layer having a small film thickness is formed, and a starting point of the insulating layer is formed on the second gap layer. 2. The method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein the second gap layer is formed of the same material by an etching method such as ion beam etching or a lift-off method. 3. The second gap layer is formed using a material that is selectively etched by reactive ion etching or chemical etching with respect to the material for forming the magnetic gap layer and the material for the lower magnetic layer. A method for manufacturing the thin film magnetic head described.