JPH08235527A - Thin-film magnetic head slider and its production - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an inexpensive thin-film magnetic head slider having high performance by simultaneously forming plating a terminal leading part and slider body part. CONSTITUTION: This slider 20 is obtd. by forming the slider body part 22 consisting of a conductor, such as Ni, on the rear surface of a floating surface part 21 consisting of SiO2 , Al2 O3 , etc. The slider body part 22 consists of the terminal leading out pad parts 23 in its central part and outer peripheral parts 24. These pad parts 23 are arranged in a plurality in a direction parallel with the progressing direction B of a disk and a direction orthogonal with it. Gaps 25 of prescribed intervals are formed between the respective pad parts 23 and between the pad parts 23 and the outer peripheral parts 24. The terminals or terminal drawing out pad parts 23 exist in two sets and four pieces. The one set is for read head elements (MR elements) and one set for write head elements (inductive head elements). The terminals suffice with one set and two pieces if the read/write head elements are commonly used. Resins 26, such as polyimide, are arranged in these gaps 25 so as to cover the rear surface of the floating surface part 21.

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 slider used in a magnetic disk device and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the miniaturization, high performance, and low price of magnetic disk devices, there has been a demand for the development of a high-performance and low-cost thin film magnetic head. As a method for satisfying this requirement, a horizontal head (planar head) has been proposed in which the thin film pattern forming surface is parallel to the air bearing surface. The reason is that the horizontal head is easy to form a floating rail having a specific shape, so it is easy to realize a stable low floating head, and it is easy to reduce the number of machined parts, so it is easy to realize a low price. by.

An example of a conventional horizontal head slider is shown below. Figure 1 shows IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS,
vol.25, p.3190, 1989, "New thin film head formation (A New Th
in Film Head Geueration), JP Lazzari and P. D.
Here is an example disclosed in eroux-Dauphin. In FIG. 1, 1 is a silicon substrate, 2 is a through hole, 3 is a conductive layer, 4 is an insulating layer, 5 is a magnetic layer, 6 is a gap layer, 7 is a coil, 8 is an air bearing surface, and 9 is a track width. .

In the example of FIG. 1, a silicon substrate is used to form a recess on the surface by etching, and a thin film magnetic head element is formed in the recess. Since the surface of the silicon substrate is the air bearing surface facing the recording medium, in order to take out the terminals of the head to the back surface of the slider, the through holes 2 penetrating the silicon substrate are formed and the terminals are led out. The slider outer shape is formed by machining.

FIG. 2 shows IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS,
vol.25, p.3686, 1989, "A New Approach to Making Thin Fi
lm Head-Slider Deuices) ", Daniel W. Chapman ,. In the example of FIG. 2, the thin film magnetic head element 12 is formed on the substrate 11 from the air bearing surface side first, the insulating film is flattened, and then the glass substrate 13 in which the through holes are penetrated is formed.
Are bonded to form a slider body. After that, the substrate 11 is removed by etching, and then the slider outer shape is cut by machining.

[0006]

In the conventional example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slider outer shape is formed by machining.
In order to take out the terminals to the back surface of the slider, it is necessary to form a through hole (through hole) in a silicon substrate or a glass substrate to embed a conductor, and to bond the glass substrate. Therefore, the process is complicated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to easily obtain a thin film magnetic head slider without obtaining a high performance and low cost thin film magnetic head slider, forming a through hole and using a glass substrate. It is to provide a method that can be manufactured.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air bearing surface that floats or contacts a recording medium, and a thin film deposition surface of a thin film magnetic head element is formed parallel to the air bearing surface. In the thin-film magnetic head slider, the air-bearing surface layer forming the air-bearing surface and the thin-film magnetic head element are provided with at least one terminal lead-out pad portion made of a conductor and having rigidity, and a slider body portion made of a conductor. There is provided a thin film magnetic head slider characterized by being arranged with a predetermined interval in a direction parallel to the surface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the slider main body is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the slider, and one or more terminal lead-out pad portions are provided between the pad portions and between the pad portions within the interior surrounded by the slider main body portion. The thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein the thin film magnetic head slider is formed with a predetermined space in a direction parallel to the air bearing surface between the slider and the slider body.

According to the third aspect, an insulator made of a resin such as polyimide or photoresist or an inorganic material such as diamond-like carbon is arranged in the space between the pad portions or between the pad portion and the slider body. A thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1 or 2 is provided. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the thin film magnetic head slider according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the slider main body also serves as the terminal lead-out pad.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the slider body and the terminal lead-out pad are bonded to the support spring by bonding so that the terminal lead-out pad is connected to the terminal portion of the plate-shaped support spring. A thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1 is provided. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the slider body is bonded to the plate-shaped support spring, and the terminal lead-out pad is bonded and bonded to the terminal portion of the support spring via a wire. A thin film magnetic head slider is provided.

According to claim 7, the air bearing surface layer is made of Si.
It is made of O ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , or carbon, or a composition thereof, and the slider body portion and the terminal lead-out pad portion of the conductor are made of Ni, NiFe, Au, Cu, or an alloy thereof. A thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1 is provided. According to claim 8,
2. The thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, further comprising an air bearing surface provided with a flying rail that floats or contacts the recording medium, and a thin film deposition surface of the thin film magnetic head element is formed in parallel with the air bearing surface. In the method for manufacturing the above, a step of forming the shape of the air bearing surface with a sacrificial layer on the substrate or forming a sacrificial layer on the layer having the air bearing surface shape, and a flying rail made of an inorganic material on the sacrificial layer. A thin film magnetic layer including a step of forming, a step of forming a slider body portion and a terminal lead pad portion on the sacrificial layer by plating, and a step of separating the slider portion from the substrate by etching the sacrificial layer. A method of manufacturing a head slider is provided.

According to the ninth aspect, when forming the shape of the air bearing surface with the sacrificial layer on the substrate, the portion corresponding to the taper portion of the inflow end of the flying rail is the sacrificial layer or the layer provided below the sacrificial layer. 9. A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 8, wherein the thin film magnetic head slider is formed in a tapered shape so that the film thickness gradually changes. According to a tenth aspect, the tapered portion of the sacrificial layer is tapered by changing the exposure amount of the photoresist formed on the sacrificial layer to change the thickness of the resist film. 10. The method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 9, wherein the sacrificial layer is formed by dry etching using a photoresist as a mask.

According to the eleventh aspect, in the tapered portion of the sacrifice layer, photoresist or polyimide is formed on the substrate, and the exposure amount to the photoresist or polyimide is adjusted to form the resist film of the polyimide film. 10. The magnetic head slider according to claim 9, wherein the thickness is changed to form a taper shape, and the photoresist or polyimide is thermally or ultraviolet-cured to form a sacrificial layer or a sacrificial layer is provided on the resist. A manufacturing method is provided.

According to a twelfth aspect, the slider body portion and the terminal lead-out pad portion are simultaneously formed on the air bearing surface layer by using a plating mask of an insulating material. A method of manufacturing a magnetic head slider is provided. According to a thirteenth aspect, a step of forming a large number of thin film magnetic head sliders on a substrate, a step of cutting the substrate into blocks including at least a plurality of thin film magnetic head sliders, and a plurality of sliders on the block are divided into a plurality of blocks. 9. A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 8, wherein the sliders are separated by simultaneously performing bonding connection to the support springs and removing the sacrificial layer of the block by etching.

[0016]

According to the present invention, the slider body and the plurality of terminal lead-out pad portions can be formed on the inorganic material portion forming the air bearing surface and the thin film magnetic head element by a plating process, which facilitates manufacturing. . According to the second aspect, since the slider body is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the slider, it has sufficient rigidity and the slider can be stably maintained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the insulator such as polyimide or photoresist is arranged in the space between the pad portions or between the pad portion and the slider body, the pad portion can be effectively short-circuited. In addition to preventing, the mechanical strength of the air bearing surface member is improved. According to claim 4, since the slider body also serves as the terminal lead-out pad,
The number of pads can be substantially reduced.

According to the present invention, the slider body and the terminal lead-out pad are bonded to the support spring by bonding.
The slider held by the supporting spring is obtained. According to the sixth aspect, the slider is held by the support spring by the main body thereof, and the terminal lead-out pad is bonded to the terminal portion of the support spring via the wire. Therefore, the terminal portion of the support spring is provided at an arbitrary position. You can

According to claim 7, a suitable slider body can be obtained by specifying the material of the inorganic material portion, and the plating can be performed by specifying the metal material of the slider body portion of the conductor and the terminal lead-out pad portion. It is possible to obtain a conductor part that is easy. According to the eighth aspect, by providing the sacrificial layer, film formation by plating becomes easy.

According to the ninth to eleventh aspects, the inflow end taper portion of the floating rail can be easily formed. According to the twelfth aspect, the slider main body portion and the terminal lead-out pad portion can be simultaneously formed by using a mask. According to the thirteenth aspect, it can be obtained at the same time in a state of being attached to a large number of slider supporting springs.

[0021]

EXAMPLE FIGS. 3A to 3C show an example of the thin film magnetic head slider of the present invention. FIG. 3A shows a support spring 30.
FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the slider 20 before being mounted on the support spring 3 as viewed from the rear surface (the surface opposite to the air bearing surface).
FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the slider 20 attached to No. 0 as viewed from the air bearing surface side, and FIG. 3C is a view showing a cross section taken along line AA ′ in FIG.

The slider 20 has a slider body 22 made of a conductor such as Ni formed on the back surface of an air bearing surface 21 made of SiO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ or the like. The slider main body 22 is composed of a terminal lead-out pad portion 23 and an outer peripheral portion 24 in the central portion thereof, and the pad portions 23 are arranged in a plurality of directions parallel to the disc traveling direction B and in a direction orthogonal thereto. There is a gap 25 at a predetermined interval between the pad portion 23 and the outer peripheral portion 24. There are two sets or four sets of terminals or terminal lead-out pad portions 23, one set for a read head element (MR element) and one set for a write head element (inductive head element). When the read / write head element is also used, the number of terminals may be one set or two. In these voids 25, a resin 26 such as polyimide is arranged so as to cover the back surface of the air bearing surface portion 21. The outer peripheral portion 24 of the slider body 22 may also serve as one of the terminal lead-out pad portions.

The rear side of the slider 20 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), it is attached to the support spring 30. As shown in FIG. 3B, on the air bearing surface 21 side of the slider 20, two side rails 27 substantially parallel to the traveling direction B of the disk, a center rail 28 at the center of the inflow end, a thin film head 2 are provided.
9 is formed. Further, tapered portions 27a and 28a are formed at the inflow ends of the both side rails 27 and the center rail 28.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the thin film magnetic head slider. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the conductor of the outer peripheral portion 24 of the slider body 22 surrounds the pad portion 23, whereas in the present modification, the frame of the body portion 22 of the slider 20 is formed of a conductor, and the terminal lead-out pad is formed. The part 23 is an example arranged on the outside thereof. In this way, the terminal lead-out pad portion 23 can be arranged at any position in the slider 20. In addition, the shape of the slider main body 22 can be arbitrarily changed in order to ensure rigidity according to the shape of the levitation rails 27 and 28 (FIG. 3B).

FIG. 5 shows the slider 20 and the support spring 30.
The connection diagram of is shown. In this embodiment, a bonding metal 31 is formed on the rear surface of the terminal lead-out pad portion 23 on the slider 20 and the main body outer peripheral portion 24, and the support spring 30 having the terminal conductor portion 32 is formed thereon by thermocompression bonding, ultrasonic pressure bonding, or the like. Bonding (C) or bonding with a conductive adhesive is performed. At this time, the terminal lead-out pad portion 23 and the support spring 3
The connection portion of 0 serves both as an electrical connection and a mechanical connection, and the outer peripheral portion 24 of the slider main body portion serves as a mechanical connection. When the outer peripheral portion 24 of the slider body also serves as one of the terminal lead-out pads, all the connecting portions serve both electrical connection and mechanical connection.

FIG. 6 shows the slider 20 and the support spring 30.
Another embodiment of the connection method will be described. The slider 20 and the support spring 30 are bonded or pressure-bonded to each other, and the terminal lead-out pad 23
Is a conductor 33 and a wire 3 installed on the back surface of the support spring 30.
Connection is made via 4 by bonding or soldering. Alternatively, a lead wire (not shown) arranged along the support spring 30 may be connected to the linear terminal lead-out pad 23.

In FIGS. 7A to 7E, the main slider 20 is shown.
The manufacturing process of is shown. In addition, these figures are shown in FIG.
Corresponds to the -A 'cross section. First, on the Si substrate 46, A
The material of the sacrificial layer such as l, Ti, and Ta forms the shape of the levitation rail (both sides rail and center rail) (FIG.
(A)). FIG. 8A is a corresponding perspective view. As shown in the figure, the portion other than the portion that becomes the floating rail is covered with a sacrificial layer such as Al. The method of forming the tapered portion of the levitation rail will be described later. Next, the sacrificial layer (A
l) is deposited (FIG. 7B). Next, a recording / reproducing head element is formed, and an air bearing surface is formed of SiO ₂ , diamond-like carbon (carbon), Al ₂ O ₃ or the like (FIG. 7C). After forming the recording / reproducing head element,
Before forming the air bearing surface portion, as shown in FIG. 8B, the head element 41 and the terminal lead-out pad forming portion 42 are connected to the wiring 4
Connect at 3. Next, a conductive film for plating (not shown) is formed, a mask for plating (not shown) is formed with a photoresist, and then a metal such as Ni, NiFe, Au, or Cu is formed by plating. The terminal lead-out pad portion 23 and the slider body portion 22 are formed. After plating,
The conductive film in the portion where the photoresist and the plating film are not attached is removed (FIG. 7D). A bonding metal 45 such as Au is formed on the back surface (front surface) of the terminal portion 23 and the slider body 22 to form the terminal 23 and the slider body 22.
A resin 26 such as polyimide is filled in the space (see FIG. 7).
(E)). In addition, diamond-like carbon, SiO
It may be filled with an inorganic material such as ₂ . After that, the slider 20 is separated from the Si substrate 46 by etching the sacrifice layer or the sacrifice layer and the substrate after bonding and connecting the support spring 30. Needless to say, the slider 20 may be separated from the substrate 46 and then connected to the support spring 30.

FIGS. 9A to 9C show a method of assembling the slider 20 and the support spring 30 of the present invention. Board 4
After forming the slider 20 on the substrate 6, the substrate 46 is cut into blocks 47 including a plurality of sliders 20, and a connecting body 48 in which a plurality of supporting springs 30 are connected in a strip shape is collectively bonded to the slider block 47 (FIG. 9 (a)). After that, the substrate 46 of the slider block 47 is separated by etching (FIG. 9B), and each support spring 30 is connected to the connecting body 4.
Complete by cutting from 8 (FIG. 9C).

10 (a) to 10 (d) show a method of forming the taper portion of the levitation rail. Sacrificial layer 5 on Si substrate 46
After depositing 1 (Al), a photoresist 52 is applied and exposed. At that time, exposure is performed by gradually reducing the exposure amount of the taper portion from the exposure amounts of the other portions (FIG. 10A). This method is generally applied as a method of forming a three-dimensional shape of a photoresist pattern.
-1071414 and the following documents.

W. Henke, W. Hoppe, HJ Quenzer, P.
Staudt-Fischbach and B. Wagner “Simulation and Exp
erimental Study of Gray-Tone Lithography for the F
abrication of arbitrarily Shaped Surfaces ”IEEE,
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, p. 205, 1994 After developing the photoresist to form the tapered portion 53 (see FIG. 1).
0 (b)), the sacrificial layer is etched by ion milling, sputter etching or the like (FIG. 10 (c)), the resist 52 is removed, and the pattern of the sacrificial layer 51 having the tapered portion 54 is completed (FIG. 10 ()). d)). Then, after forming a sacrificial layer on the entire surface, a flying rail portion (not shown) made of SiO ₂ or the like is formed on the sacrificial layer 51.

11 (a) and 11 (b) show another embodiment of the method for forming the taper of the flying rail. In this embodiment, the photoresist 52 is applied on the substrate 46 and the exposure amount is adjusted to expose the photoresist 52 without forming the Al sacrificial layer 51 as shown in FIG.
(A)) After that, the photoresist 52 is cured by heat or ultraviolet rays to form a sacrificial layer. Alternatively, a sacrificial layer is formed on the entire surface. The cured photoresist may be a material that is not dissolved during etching separation. Further, not only the taper portion but also the entire flying rail shape may be formed by photoresist.

[0032]

According to the present invention, the terminal lead-out portion and the slider body portion are simultaneously formed by plating with a conductor,
The slider can be configured without forming a through hole in the silicon substrate or adhering the glass substrate, and it is possible to provide a high performance and low cost thin film magnetic head slider.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventionally known thin film magnetic head slider.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another example of a conventionally known thin film magnetic head slider.

3A and 3B show an embodiment of a thin film magnetic head slider of the present invention, FIG. 3A is a view of the slider before adhesion to a support spring as seen from the back surface, and FIG. 3B is an air bearing surface of the slider after adhesion to a support spring. A more viewed surface, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of (a).

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the thin film magnetic head slider of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a method of connecting a support spring and a slider.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing another example of a method of connecting the support spring and the slider.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a structural process of a thin film magnetic head slider of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a state in the middle of a manufacturing process of the thin film magnetic head slider of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a method of simultaneously connecting a plurality of support springs and a plurality of sliders.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a method for forming a taper portion of a floating rail.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the method for forming the tapered portion of the floating rail.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 ... Slider 21 ... Air bearing surface layer 22 ... Slider body 23 ... Terminal drawing pad portion 24 ... Outer peripheral portion 26 ... Insulating material 27,28 ... Floating rails 27a, 28a ... Tapered portion 30 ... Support springs 32,33 ... Terminal portion 34 … Wire bonding 46… Substrate 47… Block

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A thin film magnetic head slider having an air bearing surface that floats or contacts a recording medium, and a thin film deposition surface of a thin film magnetic head element is formed parallel to the air bearing surface. On the air bearing surface layer (21) and the thin film magnetic head element (29), at least one of a slider body portion (22) made of a conductor and having rigidity and a conductor is formed.
A thin-film magnetic head slider, wherein one or more terminal lead-out pad portions (23) are arranged at a predetermined interval in a direction parallel to the air bearing surface. 2. The slider body (22) is a slider (2).
0) formed on the outer peripheral portion (24) and surrounded by the slider body portion, and at least one terminal lead pad portion (2).
3) is between the pad portions (23) and between the pad portions (23)
2. The thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein the thin film magnetic head slider is formed between the slider and the slider body portion (22) with a predetermined space in a direction parallel to the air bearing surface. 3. An insulation made of a resin such as polyimide or photoresist or an inorganic material such as diamond-like carbon in a space between the pad portions (23) or between the pad portion (23) and the slider body (22). Material (26)
3. The thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 4. The thin-film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein the slider body (22) also serves as a terminal lead-out pad. 5. The terminal lead-out pad (23) is connected to the terminal portion (32) of the plate-shaped support spring (30),
The slider body (22) and the terminal lead-out pad (2
3. The thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein 3) is bonded to a support spring (30) by bonding. 6. The slider body (22) is adhered to a plate-shaped support spring (30), and the terminal lead-out pad (23) is connected via a wire (34) to the terminal (3) of the support spring (30).
The thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein the thin film magnetic head slider is bonded to 3) by bonding. 7. The air bearing surface layer (21) is made of SiO ₂ , A.
l ₂ O _3, or carbon, or made from these compositions, the slider body of the conductor (22) and the terminal lead pad portion (23), Ni, NiFe, Au, or Cu
2. The thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein the thin film magnetic head slider is made of an alloy containing them. 8. An air bearing surface provided with a levitation rail (27, 28) which floats or contacts a recording medium, and a thin film deposition surface of a thin film magnetic head element is formed parallel to the air bearing surface. The method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head slider according to claim 1, wherein the air bearing surface is formed of a sacrificial layer on a substrate (46), or a sacrificial layer is formed on a layer on which the air bearing surface is formed. And a levitation rail (27, 2) made of an inorganic material on the sacrificial layer.
8), a step of forming a slider body portion (22) and a terminal lead pad portion (23) on the sacrificial layer by plating, and a step of forming the slider portion (20) on the substrate (46) by etching the sacrificial layer. And a step of separating the thin film magnetic head slider from the above. 9. When forming a shape of an air bearing surface with a sacrificial layer on a substrate (46), a portion corresponding to a taper portion of an inflow end of a flying rail (27, 28) is provided under the sacrificial layer or the sacrificial layer. 9. The method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 8, wherein the film thickness is formed in a tapered shape so that the film thickness of the layer changes gradually. 10. The tapered portion of the sacrificial layer is tapered by changing the thickness of the resist film by adjusting the exposure amount to the photoresist formed on the sacrificial layer. 10. The method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head slider according to claim 9, wherein the sacrificial layer is formed by dry etching with the mask as a mask. 11. The tapered portion of the sacrificial layer is formed by forming a photoresist or a photosensitive polyimide on the substrate (46) and adjusting the exposure amount to the photoresist to adjust the thickness of the resist film or the polyimide film. 10. The sacrificial layer is formed by changing the thickness to form a taper shape and thermally or ultraviolet curing the photoresist or polyimide, or forming a sacrificial layer on the photoresist or polyimide. Manufacturing method of magnetic head slider of. 12. The slider body portion (22) and the terminal lead-out pad portion (23) are simultaneously formed on the air bearing surface layer by using a plating mask of an insulating material. Manufacturing method of magnetic head slider of. 13. A step of forming a large number of thin film magnetic head sliders (20) on a substrate (46), and cutting the substrate (46) into blocks (47) including at least a plurality of thin film magnetic head sliders (20). Process and the block (4
7) a plurality of sliders (20) on a plurality of support springs (3
9. The thin film magnetic head slider manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the sliders (20) are separated by simultaneously performing bonding connection with the sliders (0) and etching the sacrificial layer of the blocks (47). Method.