Title :
Shielded magnetoresistive head for high density recording
Author :
Yamada, K. ; Maruyama, T. ; Tatsumi, T. ; Suzuki, T. ; Shimabayashi, K. ; Motomura, Y. ; Aoyama, M. ; Urai, H.
Author_Institution :
NEC Corp., Kawasaki, Japan
fDate :
11/1/1990 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The fabrication process and the head material properties for shielded magnetoresistive heads with planarized lower shields using a tri-layered MR element are described in detail. Applying the etch-back process with low molecular weight polystyrene and CF4/O2 reactive ion etching, the residual step height for a lower shield is dramatically decreased to less than 5% of the initial step height. The tri-layered MR element consists of an MR layer, a magnetic separation layer (MSL), and a soft adjacent layer (SAL). 40-nm thick Ni 81Fe19 (wt.%) films were deposited by evaporation for use as an MR layer. Evaporated Ti MSL thickness was experimentally determined to be 20 nm. Amorphous Co82Zr6Mo12 SAL films exhibited preferable magnetic properties as an SAL material. The fabricated shielded MR heads, using the tri-layered MR element with these NiFe, Ti, and CoZrMo films, provide superior capability to realize high recording density
Keywords :
cobalt alloys; iron alloys; magnetic heads; magnetic recording; magnetic thin film devices; molybdenum alloys; nickel alloys; sputter etching; titanium; zirconium alloys; 20 nm; 40 nm; CF4/O2 reactive ion etching; Ni81Fe19-Ti-Co82Zr6Mo 12; amorphous films; etch-back process; fabrication process; head material properties; high density recording; low molecular weight polystyrene; magnetic separation layer; planarized lower shields; residual step height; shielded magnetoresistive heads; soft adjacent layer; tetrafluoromethane; tri-layered MR element; Amorphous materials; Etching; Fabrication; Iron; Magnetic films; Magnetic heads; Magnetic materials; Magnetic separation; Magnetoresistance; Material properties;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
