JPH07326034A - Method for molding magnetic head slider - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve flatness by executing a process of working air bearing grooves on the surface of a slider block and a process of smoothing the surface of a slider block facing this surface by an etching treatment of the same condition CONSTITUTION:The air bearing working surface 3a of the slider block 3 is smoothed by polishing, lapping, mirror finishing treatments, etc., and is formed to a gimbal adhesive surface. Next, the block 3 with the surface 3b faced upward is fixed onto a jig 5. The surface 3b is smoothed by the etching treatment and is formed to a flat gimbal adhesive surface. The block 3 is turned over and the block 3 with the surface 3a faced upward is fixed to the jig 5. The surface 3a part exclusive of the point formed with the air bearing groove parts 6 is subjected to the masking treatment by a resist agent 11. The surface 3a is subjected to the etching treatment under the same condition as the condition for the previous etching treatment, by which the groove parts 6 are formed with the same surface roughness as the surface roughness of the surface 3b. The resist agent 11 is removed from the surface 3a by an org. solvent and the block 3 is cut to individual sliders 12. The individual sliders 12 are removed from the jig 5 and are washed by the org. solvent, by which the magnetic head sliders 10 are obtd.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of molding a magnetic head slider.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A magnetic head slider in a contact, start, and stop type flying magnetic head device has an air bearing surface which is a surface for receiving an air flow generated on the surface of a magnetic disk, and records and reproduces information. A magnetic element is formed, and the surface of the magnetic head slider facing the air bearing surface is supported by a suspension composed of a leaf spring (gimbal). Furthermore, this suspension is supported by an arm. By moving this arm and sliding the magnetic head slider in the radial direction of the magnetic disk in a plane parallel to the surface of the magnetic disk, information is recorded on a predetermined recording track. It is designed to record and play back. Next, a method of forming the magnetic head slider will be described.

First, the preceding step will be described with reference to FIGS. This step is a step up to the cutting of the slider block shown in FIG. In FIG. 3A, reference numeral 1 is a wafer having a slider block base 2 in the center.
When the periphery of such a wafer 1 is cut while leaving the slider block base 2 as shown in FIG. 3B, the slider block base 2 is cut as shown in FIG. 3C.
Only is taken out. This slider block base body 2 is divided into left and right sides into slider block base bodies 2a and 2b,
Furthermore, if you cut with a suitable width in the direction perpendicular to the two-division direction,
The slider block 3 is obtained. A in FIG. 3 (c)
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the part. As shown in FIG.
Each slider block 3 has a plurality of magnetic elements 4 at predetermined intervals in its longitudinal direction.

A method of forming a conventional magnetic head slider from the slider block 3 from the slider block 3 will be described in order of steps with reference to FIGS. 5 (a) to 5 (d). Figure 5
In the first step shown in (a), the air bearing processed surface 3 of the slider block 3 formed on the air bearing surface.
The slider block 3 is fixed on the jig 5 with a facing up, and the air bearing processed surface 3a is polished, lapped,
The surface is smoothed and smoothed by mirror surface treatment. At this point, it is assumed that the surface 3b of the slider block 3 facing the air bearing processed surface 3a is smoothed by polishing, lapping, mirror finishing or the like and is formed into a flat gimbal bonded surface. Next, in a second step shown in FIG. 5B, air bearing groove portions 6 are formed at predetermined intervals on the air bearing processed surface 3a by machining using a rotating magnet. Next, in the third step shown in FIG.
The slider block 3 is cut into a single slider 8 having an appropriate length. Finally, in a fourth step shown in FIG. 5D, each slider unit 8 is removed from the jig 5 and washed with an organic solvent to obtain a magnetic head slider 9.

[0005]

In the conventional method of forming the magnetic head slider 9, the air bearing groove portion 6 is machined in the second step, so that the slider block 3 receives stress.
As a result, even if the air bearing processed surfaces 3a and 3b are smoothed and formed into flat surfaces, if each slider unit 8 is removed from the jig 5 in the fourth step, as shown in FIG. Since both side portions of 6 are warped upward, the flatness of the magnetic head slider 9 cannot be maintained, and the magnetic head device equipped with this magnetic head slider 9 becomes unreliable.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a method of molding a magnetic head slider which can improve the flatness of the air bearing processed surface and the gimbal bonded surface.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of air bearing grooves formed on one surface of a slider block and spaced apart from each other. The air bearing surface is formed on an air bearing surface of the disk surface, and the other surface of the slider block opposite to the surface of the slider block formed on the air bearing surface is formed as a gimbal adhesive surface, and the adjacent air bearings are formed. A method of molding a magnetic head slider, wherein the slider block is cut between grooves to obtain a plurality of magnetic head sliders. First, the other surface of the slider block is etched to be smoothed and formed on the flat gimbal bonding surface. First step, and then the air bearing groove is formed on the surface of the slider block formed on the air bearing surface. And a second step of masking the surface portion excluding the portion where the mask is formed, and then the surface of the slider block masked in the second step is etched under the same conditions as in the first step. And a third step of forming the air bearing groove portion on the surface of the slider block.

Further, according to the present invention, the surface of the slider block in which the air bearing groove portion is formed is previously smoothed and formed into a flat surface before the air bearing groove portion is formed.

[0009]

In the present invention, the third step of machining the air bearing groove portion on the surface of the slider block and the first step of smoothing the other surface of the slider block facing the surface are the same. By performing the respective etching processes under the conditions, the warpage of the slider block during the third step is canceled by the warpage of the slider block during the first step.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted. (A) to (e) of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a process diagram of a method of forming the magnetic head slider 10 from the slider block 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, the air bearing processed surface 3a of the slider block 3 is
It is smoothed by polishing, lapping, mirror finishing, etc. to form a flat surface. Next, in the first step shown in FIG. 1A, the slider block 3 is fixed on the jig 5 with the surface 3b facing upward, and the entire surface 3b is subjected to an etching treatment to be smoothed to obtain a flat gimbal bonded surface. To form.

Next, in the second step shown in FIG. 1B, the slider block 3 is inverted and the slider block 3 is fixed to the jig 5 with the air bearing processed surface 3a facing upward. Then, a masking process is applied to the air bearing processed surface 3a portion excluding the location where the air bearing groove portion 6 is formed. In this method, a resist agent (UV curing type) 11 is applied and partially cured and adhered. Next, in the third step shown in FIG. 1C, the air bearing processed surface 3a portion not coated with the resist agent 11 is etched under the same conditions as the etching processing in the first step, and the surface 3
The air bearing groove 6 having the same surface roughness as that of b and having a flat bottom surface is formed.

Next, in a fourth step shown in FIG. 1D, the resist agent 11 is separated and dissolved from the air bearing processed surface 3a by an organic solvent, and the slider block 3 is cut into a slider unit 12. Finally, in a fifth step shown in FIG. 1E, the jig 5 is moved to each slider unit 12
The magnetic head slider 10 is obtained by removing it and washing with an organic solvent.

In the step of forming the magnetic head slider 10 described above, in the first step of smoothing the surface 3b of the slider block 3 by an etching process to form a gimbal bonding surface, the slider block 3 on the jig 5 is provided with the surface. Three
The warp occurs such that both end portions of b are located above the intermediate portion of the surface 3b. Further, in the third step of etching the air bearing processed surface 3a of the slider block 3 facing the surface 3b to form the air bearing groove portion 6, the slider block 3 on the jig 5 is provided with the air bearing processed surface. A warp occurs in a direction opposite to that in the first step such that both end portions of 3a are located above the intermediate portion of the surface 3a. Since both surfaces 3a and 3b are etched under the same conditions, the degree of warp of the slider block 3 caused in the third step is equal to the degree of warp of the slider block 3 caused in the first step. Therefore, the warp of the slider block 3 that occurs in the third step is canceled by the warp of the slider block 3 that occurs in the first step, and any surface 3a of the slider block 3 after the third step is completed. , 3b side is not warped, therefore, the magnetic head slider 10 having high flatness can be obtained as shown in FIG. 2 through the fourth and fifth steps. The etching method is generally an ion etching method or a powder beam etching method, and the depth control is performed by variously changing conditions such as injection time, outflow pressure, particle size, and ion concentration.

[0014]

According to the present invention, a plurality of air bearing grooves are formed on one surface of a slider block at intervals from each other, and the surface of the slider block receives the air flow generated on the surface of the magnetic disk. The slider block is formed on the air bearing surface, and the other surface of the slider block facing the surface of the slider block formed on the air bearing surface is formed on the gimbal adhesive surface, and the slider block is cut between the adjacent air bearing groove portions. A method of forming a magnetic head slider to obtain a plurality of magnetic head sliders, comprising first performing a first step of etching the other surface of the slider block to smooth and form the flat gimbal bonding surface, and then, , The surface of the slider block formed on the air bearing surface except for the portion forming the air bearing groove is masked. A second step of click process, then,
And a third step of etching the surface of the slider block masked in the second step under the same conditions as in the first step to form the air bearing groove portion on the surface of the slider block. I decided. Therefore, the warp generated in the slider block in the third step is canceled by the warp generated in the slider block in the first step, and the warp of the magnetic head slider is eliminated, and the air bearing surface and the gimbal are removed. The flatness of the adhesive surface can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A to 1E are schematic views showing steps of a method of forming a magnetic head slider from a slider block according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an outline view of a magnetic head slider obtained by the molding method of the present invention.

3A to 3C are schematic views showing a preceding step of a magnetic head slider molding step.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a slider block obtained in the previous step.

5A to 5D are schematic views showing steps of a method of forming a magnetic head slider from a slider block according to a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is an outline view of a magnetic head slider obtained by a conventional molding method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Slider block 3a Air bearing processed surface 3b Slider block surface 6 Air bearing groove 10 Magnetic head slider

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A slider block is provided with a plurality of air bearing groove portions spaced from each other on one surface thereof, and the slider block surface is formed as an air bearing surface for receiving an air flow generated on a magnetic disk surface. The other surface of the slider block facing the surface of the slider block formed on the air bearing surface is formed as a gimbal adhesive surface, and the slider block is cut between adjacent air bearing groove portions to form a plurality of magnetic head sliders. A method of forming a magnetic head slider to be obtained, which first comprises etching the other surface of the slider block to make it smooth and form the flat gimbal bonding surface.
And a second step of masking a surface portion of the slider block surface formed on the air bearing surface excluding a portion where the air bearing groove portion is formed, and then a second step A third step of etching the masked surface of the slider block under the same conditions as in the first step to form the air bearing groove on the surface of the slider block. Method for forming magnetic head slider. 2. The molding of a magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the slider block in which the air bearing groove portion is formed is smoothed and formed into a flat surface in advance before forming the air bearing groove portion. Method.