A new write head trimmed at wafer level by focused ion beam

Author

Koshikawa, T. ; Nagai, A. ; Yokoyama, Y. ; Hoshino, T. ; Ishizuki, Y.

Author_Institution

HDI Eng. Dept., Fujitsu Labs. Ltd., Kawasaki, Japan

Volume

34

Issue

4

fYear

1998

fDate

7/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1471

Lastpage

1473

Abstract

Our new write head is trimmed using a focused ion beam (FIB) at the wafer level before depositing a protective layer of Al₂O ₃. Since this head has no hollows, no Ga implantation, and no recessions caused by the ion beam at the air bearing surface (ABS), it can achieve good write performance at very low flying height with high reliability. Our new fabrication technique also protects the Magnetoresistive (MR) sensor from exposure to the ion beam. We fabricated an inductive-write/MR-read composite head. Test results exhibited a write performance as good as that of non-trimmed wide heads, while providing a smaller erase width

Keywords

focused ion beam technology; iron alloys; magnetic heads; magnetoresistive devices; nickel alloys; Al₂O₃; NiFe; air bearing surface; alumina protective layer; erase width; flying height; focused ion beam; inductive-write/MR-read composite head; magnetoresistive sensor; trimmed head; wafer level; write head; Etching; Fabrication; Ion beams; Magnetic heads; Magnetic sensors; Magnetoresistance; Manufacturing; Protection; Shape; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.706586

Filename

706586