JPH11213332A - Thin-film magnetic head and magnetic disk device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable accurate alignment of magnetic pole ends to be performed, and make strictly controllable the width and thickness thereof, and to enable a higher recording density to be obtained by using nonmagnetic metallic films of Rh, Ru, Re, Mo, Ir, Pd having a hardness equal to or higher than the hardness of first and second magnetic pole end layers or an alloy film mainly composed of these metals as a gap material. SOLUTION: After a plating ground substrate film is adhered on a first magnetic yoke layer 5, thin film is successively plated with the first magnetic pole end 1, a gap layer 3 and the second magnetic pole end 2. The nonmagnetic films of the Rh, Ru, Re, Mo, Ir, Pd having a hardness equal to or higher than the hardness of first and second magnetic pole ends 1 and 2 consisting of FeNi or the alloy mainly composed of these metals are used as the gap layer 3. A coil structure 11, layers 8 to 10 consisting of an electrically insulating material and a second magnetic yoke layer 6 are formed on the front end part 4 of these magnetic pole ends, by which the magnetic head is constituted. As a result, the first and second magnetic pole ends 1 and 2 are precisely aligned to each other and the magnetic pole ends which are precisely equal in the track width in the gap region are obtd.

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 and a magnetic disk drive using the thin-film magnetic head, and more particularly to an improved pole tip structure technology for a thin-film magnetic head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The capacity and size of magnetic disk drives are rapidly increasing year by year, and it is essential to develop a technology for increasing the recording density. In response to the increase in recording density, not only MR elements using the anisotropic magnetoresistive effect (AMR) but also spin-valve MRs using the giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR)
As a device, a recording / reproducing separation type head using a recording head as an inductive element has been developed.

Accordingly, regarding the recording head element,
There is a demand for a narrower track width and higher accuracy of the upper write pole. Conventionally, the second magnetic yoke layer is formed by an electroplating method. However, the formation accuracy of a resist frame for forming a plating pattern cannot meet the required track width accuracy. Track width 2μm
Hereinafter, when the pole film thickness is 3 to 5 μm, the film thickness of the resist frame at the zero throat level is 10 to ensure the film thickness of the resist on the coil and the insulating film to be equal to or larger than the plating film thickness from around the applied resist. 15 μm is required, and the aspect ratio of the resist frame at the 0 throat level is 5 or more, which is approaching the limit of the conventional photolithography technology. Further, the fringing from the upper write pole causes the edge of the write pattern to be curved toward the upper pole. This causes an increase in the write track width and a decrease in the reproduction output. These are fatal problems in achieving high recording density.

In order to solve these problems, as a structure of a recording head element, a structure in which a first pole tip, a gap film, and a second pole tip are formed by electroplating using the same resist frame is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 6 (1994). No. 28626. However, when a gap layer is formed by electroplating in the above structure, NiP, Au,
It is shown that Cu or the like is used. In this case, if the air bearing surface (ABS) is soft like Au or Cu and has a hardness of about 500 Hv or less in the air bearing surface (ABS) processing step, the magnetic pole tip shape of the air bearing surface changes due to processing sag or the gap film thickness is strictly reduced. There is a problem that it cannot be controlled. Further, there is a problem that the NiP film is crystallized and magnetized by the heat treatment.

On the other hand, JP-A-7-262519 discloses a structure in which ion milling is performed using the second pole tip as a mask to define the same track width as the first pole tip (trimming). When trimming is performed, if an inorganic insulating film such as Al203 is used as a gap material, the ion milling speed of the gap material such as Al203 is lower than that of a magnetic film such as Ni, Fe, or Co used for a write pole. The gap layer serves as a mask, and the first magnetic yoke layer is etched under the second magnetic yoke layer. Accordingly, there is a problem that it is difficult to precisely form the size and shape of the first magnetic pole track width.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a thin-film magnetic head in which the width, thickness and shape of the pole tip are strictly controlled to select a material for a gap film suitable for manufacturing. .

Another object of the present invention is to position a thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention, a thin-film magnetic head capable of recording an extremely high areal recording density and having a low medium noise and an excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristic of a high coercive force. An object of the present invention is to realize a high-performance magnetic disk device having an extremely high recording density by combining the techniques described above.

[0008]

According to the thin-film magnetic head of the present invention, as a gap material, Rh, Ru, Re, Mo, Ir, Pd having hardness equal to or higher than that of the first and second pole tip layers.
The use of a non-magnetic metal film or an alloy film mainly composed of this metal has the advantage that the dimensions of the pole tip and the tolerance for maintaining the dimension of the pole tip are both extremely precise. . For example, the Vickers hardness of the NiFe film is about 4
00 to 600 Hv, Rh, Ru, Re, Mo, I
Since the gap film of the non-magnetic metal film of r or Pd or the alloy film mainly composed of this metal has a hardness equal to or higher than that of the NiFe film, polishing dripping is required in the air bearing surface lapping for forming a predetermined throat height. I found that it could be prevented. Further, it has been found that these metal films can be formed by a plating method, and are suitable for forming the pole tip portion with a precise size and shape.

Further, the magnetic disk drive of the present invention comprises a magnetic recording medium, a drive unit for driving the magnetic recording medium in a recording direction, a magnetic head comprising a recording unit and a reproducing unit, and The magnetic head includes at least an upper magnetic film, a recording signal input to the magnetic head, and a recording / reproduction signal processing means for obtaining a reproduction signal output from the magnetic head. , A lower magnetic film, a magnetic gap film, a conductor coil, and a thin film magnetic head having an insulating film, the gap material between the first pole tip layer and the second pole tip layer is made of Rh as a gap material. , Ru, Re, Mo, Ir, Pd or a thin-film magnetic head using an alloy film mainly containing this metal.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

A preferred embodiment of the pole tip according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the pole tip before wrapping the head to a predetermined throat height, and FIG. 2 shows a detection edge of the ABS pole tip after lapping the head to a predetermined throat height. FIG. 3 shows a thin-film magnetic head completed according to this embodiment, and FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the tip of the thin-film magnetic head. These figures show the structure of the recording head. As shown in FIG. 4, the thin-film magnetic head 12 includes a first magnetic yoke layer 5 attached on a non-magnetic substrate 7, and the gap layer 3 is preferably well-known so as to be capable of converting a magnetic medium. Defines an interacting transducing gap 30 such that an air bearing is formed as follows. For this reason, the non-magnetic substrate 7 is formed as a slider having a detection edge such as an ABS 13 which flies close to a recording medium such as a magnetic disk which rotates during operation of the magnetic disk device. The first magnetic yoke layer 5 and the second magnetic yoke layer 6 both extend from the ABS 13 to the rear gap region 15. The two magnetic yoke layers 5 and 6 are separated by the pole tip 4 at the ABS 13 and contact each other at the rear gap region 15. The two magnetic yoke layers 5 and 6 are spaced apart in the space between the ABS 13 and the rear gap region 15 to form a space for the coil structure 11. The coil structure 11 and the two magnetic yoke layers 5 and 6 are separated by layers 8, 9, 10 of non-magnetic, electrically insulating material. Referring to FIG. 1, a coil structure 11 includes a plurality of spiral windings 11 having a first central electrical contact 31 and an external electrical contact 32.
Having. The contacts 31 and 32 are connected to external wiring and a head circuit (not shown) for processing data signals.

The pole tip 4 includes a first pole tip layer 1, a gap layer 3 and a second pole tip layer 2, and is formed in contact with the first magnetic yoke layer 5. Examples of a magnetic pole tip having a track width of 1 μm, a thickness of the first pole tip layer 1 of 1 μm, a thickness of the gap layer 3 of 0.4 μm, and a thickness of the second pole tip layer 2 of 1 μm will be described below. . In the method of forming the magnetic pole tip 4, a conductive film for NiFe plating is deposited as a plating base film on the first magnetic yoke layer 5 by a sputtering method or the like, and a photoresist is formed thereon to form the magnetic pole tip. It is patterned into an opening shape. The opening shape is, for example, 1 μm in width,
A rectangular parallelepiped having a length of 10 μm and a height of 3 μm can be used.

After the plating pre-treatment, the first magnetic pole tip layer FeNi 1 μm and the gap layer Rh are then electroplated.
0.4 μm and the second pole tip layer FeNi 1 μm are continuously plated. As a gap material, other than Rh, Ru, R
A nonmagnetic metal film of e, Mo, Ir, and Pd or an alloy film mainly containing this metal is preferable. Next, the photoresist is removed, and the unnecessary plating film other than the tip of the pole tip is removed by dry etching or wet etching to complete the tip 4 of the pole tip. According to this forming method, the first pole tip layer and the second pole tip layer are precisely aligned with each other, and a pole tip having a precisely equal track width in the gap region is obtained.

A coil, an insulating film, and a second magnetic yoke layer are formed on the tip of the magnetic pole tip obtained in this manner, to constitute a magnetic head. Further, by forming terminals and a protective film, the substrate on which the thin film head element is formed is completed. Subsequently, a thin film head slider is created. This substrate is cut into thin film head slider bars in the same manner as in a normal slider forming process, and then the ABS surface is lapping-processed to a floating surface to form a predetermined throat height. At this time, when Rh is used as the gap film, its hardness is 500 Hv or more, which is equivalent to the hardness of Ni, Fe or Co-based magnetic material used for the magnetic pole. Defects can be prevented. R
h can be formed by an electroplating method using a commercially available plating solution, and a hardness of 900 to 1000 Hv can be obtained. Similarly, as a gap film formed by electroplating,
Ru is about 800 Hv, Re is about 1300 Hv, Mo is about 1400 Hv, Ir is about 1700 Hv, Pd is about 500 Hv.
The hardness is Hv, and it is possible to prevent polishing sagging at the time of air bearing surface lapping. Further, these metal films are suitable for use as a gap film in that they are not magnetized by heat treatment unlike NiP. FIGS. 5 and 6 show the shape of the floating surface of a thin film head as another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows that a metal film of Rh or Ru, Re, Mo, Ir, Pd or the like or an alloy film mainly composed of this metal is formed as a gap layer 18 on the first magnetic yoke layer 16 and a second film is formed thereon. The magnetic yoke layer 17 is formed.
FIG. 6 shows the gap layer 1 on the first magnetic yoke layer 16.
Eighth and second magnetic yoke layers 17 are formed by plating using the same frame resist as a mask. Also in these examples, it is apparent that the use of a hard non-magnetic metal film as the gap film can prevent the sagging during the air bearing surface lapping process for obtaining a predetermined throat height.

Another embodiment of the thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. This is an application of the present invention to the structure of the tip of the magnetic pole of the trimming structure. FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the pole tip when the head is wrapped to a predetermined throat height, and FIG. 8 shows a detection edge of the pole tip. The method of forming the magnetic pole tip according to this embodiment will be described below. A first magnetic yoke layer 22 is deposited on a non-magnetic substrate, a gap layer 24 is deposited thereon, and a second magnetic yoke layer 23 is formed by electroplating. Subsequently, Ar ion milling is performed on the gap layer 23 and the first magnetic yoke layer 22 using the second magnetic yoke layer 24 as a mask. By this forming method, the pole tips are precisely aligned with each other, and the track width in the gap region is precisely equal. Therefore, Rh or Ru, Re, Mo, I
If r, Pd or the like is used, the same milling rate can be set for the first magnetic yoke layer 22 and the second magnetic yoke layer 23, and the track width can be precisely defined as shown in FIG.

By using a thin-film magnetic head having a recording head section with a precisely defined track width as described above, it is possible to configure a magnetic disk device with a high recording density.

The characteristics of the thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention shown in the above-described embodiment and the characteristics of the device are as shown in FIG.
And a thin film magnetic recording medium 203 capable of recording an extremely high areal recording density with a low medium noise and excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics of a high coercive force, and a spindle motor 202 which is a driving unit for driving the recording medium in a recording direction. A thin film magnetic head 204 according to the present invention comprising a recording unit and a reproducing unit; a guide arm 205 for moving the thin film magnetic head 204 relative to the magnetic recording medium 203; Signal input and the thin-film magnetic head 20
A magnetic disk device having a configuration including a recording / reproducing signal processing circuit 201 for reproducing the output signal from the device No. 4 was manufactured and confirmed. Here, the magnetic disk device according to the present invention has a plurality of magnetic recording media 203, and means 2 for performing the relative movement.
It goes without saying that the structure 05 may have a plurality of thin-film magnetic heads 204 according to the present invention. The thin-film magnetic head 20 constituting the magnetic disk drive according to the present invention.
No. 4 is applicable not only to an MR head using the anisotropic magnetoresistance effect (AMR) but also to a spin valve type MR head using the giant magnetoresistance effect (GMR).

[0018]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a thin-film magnetic head in which the pole tips are accurately positioned and the width and thickness of the pole tips are strictly controlled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thin-film magnetic recording medium capable of recording an extremely high areal recording density, which has a low medium noise and a high coercive force and excellent electromagnetic conversion characteristics, and a recording head according to the present invention, which has a precisely defined track width. An object of the present invention is to realize a high-performance magnetic disk device having an extremely high recording density by combining a thin-film magnetic head having a thin film magnetic head and a technique for positioning the thin-film magnetic head.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic pole tip of a thin-film magnetic head according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a magnetic pole tip air bearing surface of the thin-film magnetic head according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a magnetic pole tip air bearing surface of a thin-film magnetic head according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a magnetic pole tip air bearing surface of a thin film magnetic head according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pole tip of a thin-film magnetic head according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a magnetic pole tip air bearing surface of a thin film magnetic head according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a magnetic disk drive according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... 1st magnetic pole tip, 2 ... 2nd magnetic pole tip, 3 ... Gap layer, 4 ... Tip end of a magnetic pole, 5 ... First magnetic yoke layer, 6 ... Second magnetic yoke layer, 7 ... Non-magnetic Substrate, 8
... a layer of an electrically insulating material, 9 ... a layer of an electrically insulating material, 10 ...
Layer of electrically insulating material, 11: coil structure, 12: thin-film magnetic head, 13: air bearing surface,
14: zero throat level, 15: rear gap region, 16: first magnetic yoke layer, 17: second magnetic yoke layer, 18: gap layer, 19: first magnetic yoke layer, 20: second magnetic field Yoke layer, 21 gap layer, 22 first magnetic yoke layer, 23 second magnetic yoke layer, 24 gap layer, 30 conversion gap, 31 electrical contact between coil and external wiring, 32
... Electrical contacts between the coil and external wiring, 201... A read / write signal processing circuit, 202. Spindle motor, 203... Magnetic recording medium,.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Sho Kondo 2880 Kozu, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd.Storage Systems Division (72) Inventor Hiroshi Kikuchi 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. Inside the Production Engineering Laboratory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A gap layer between a first pole tip layer and a second pole tip layer in a thin-film magnetic head having at least an upper magnetic film, a lower magnetic film, a magnetic gap film, a conductor coil, and an insulating film. On the other hand, Rh, R
A thin-film magnetic head using a metal of u, Re, Mo, Ir, Pd or an alloy film mainly containing this metal. 2. A magnetic recording medium, a driving unit for driving the magnetic recording medium in a recording direction, a magnetic head comprising a recording unit and a reproducing unit, means for moving the magnetic head relative to the magnetic recording medium, 2. A magnetic disk drive comprising: a recording signal input to a magnetic head; and a recording / reproduction signal processing means for obtaining a reproduction signal output from the magnetic head. Disk device.