US4992901A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self aligned magnetic poles using sacrificial mask
Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
•
Filing: 1990-02-15
•
Granted: 1991-02-12
•
Expires: 2010-02-15
Abstract
Abstract In a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head having aligned top and bottom pole tip pieces, a sacrificial mask protects the upper pole tip while the exposed non-aligned portions of the gap material and lower pole tip are removed. The sacrificial mask is deposited using a self alignment technique.
Inventors
- 👤 Beat Keel
- 👤 Arthur Calderon
- 👤 Simon Liao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:47
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/127; G11B5/31; G11B5/3163; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/4902; Y10T29/49021; Y10T29/49032; Y10T29/49036; Y10T29/49043; Y10T29/49044; Y10T29/49046; Y10T29/4906; Y10T29/49064
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer comprising: forming a first magnetic layer upon a nonmagnetic substrate; forming a gap material layer upon the first magnetic layer; depositing a layer having an aperture of a defined structure upon the gap material layer; forming a second magnetic layer over the gap layer and in the aperture; depositing a sacrificial mask layer upon the second magnetic layer and in the aperture; removing the layer having an aperture, exposing a portion of the gap material layer and a portion of the first magnetic layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer comprising: forming a first magnetic layer upon a nonmagnetic substrate; forming a gap material layer upon the first magnetic layer; depositing a layer having an aperture of a defined structure upon the gap material layer; forming a second magnetic layer over the gap layer and in the aperture; depositing a sacrificial mask layer upon the second magnetic layer and in the aperture; removing the layer having an aperture, exposing a portion of the gap material layer and a portion of the first magnetic layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel phosphorus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel iron.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing a first and a second sacrificial mask layer, the first sacrificial mask layer sandwiched between the second sacrificial mask layer and the second magnetic layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the material removal process comprises ion milling.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the material removal process comprises reactive ion milling.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the material removing process comprises sputter etching.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the second magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of claim wherein the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 microns to about 1 micron.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of claim wherein the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
60 words
The method of claim wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns, the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 microns to about 1 micron and the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
A thin film magnetic transducer formed by the method defined in claim 1.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer comprising: depositing a first magnetic layer upon a nonmagnetic substrate; forming a gap material layer upon the first magnetic layer; depositing a second magnetic layer upon the gap material layer; forming a sacrificial mask layer over the second magnetic layer and in self alignment with the second magnetic layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer comprising: depositing a first magnetic layer upon a nonmagnetic substrate; forming a gap material layer upon the first magnetic layer; depositing a second magnetic layer upon the gap material layer; forming a sacrificial mask layer over the second magnetic layer and in self alignment with the second magnetic layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel phosphorus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel iron.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 14 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing a first and a second sacrificial mask layer, the first sacrificial mask layer sandwiched between the second sacrificial mask layer and the second magnetic layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises ion milling.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises reactive ion milling.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises sputter etching.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the second magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 to microns to about 1 micron.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns, the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 microns to about 1 micron and the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
A thin film magnetic transducer formed by the method defined in claim 14.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer of the type having a main body region and a pole tip region, comprising: depositing a first magnetic layer forming a portion of the main body region and a portion of the pole tip region upon a substrate; depositing a gap material layer upon first magnetic layer in the pole region; depositing a nonmagnetic insulator upon the first magnetic layer in main body region, the nonmagnetic insulator layer carrying a plural of electrical conductors therethrough; depositing a layer having an aperture of a defined structure; depositing a second magnetic layer upon the gap material layer in the aperture and upon the magnetic insulator layer; removing the layer having an aperture from the nonmagnetic insulator layer; depositing a sacrificial mask layer; removing the layer having an aperture from the gap material layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process to remove exposed material.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer of the type having a main body region and a pole tip region, comprising: depositing a first magnetic layer forming a portion of the main body region and a portion of the pole tip region upon a substrate; depositing a gap material layer upon first magnetic layer in the pole region; depositing a nonmagnetic insulator upon the first magnetic layer in main body region, the nonmagnetic insulator layer carrying a plural of electrical conductors therethrough; depositing a layer having an aperture of a defined structure; depositing a second magnetic layer upon the gap material layer in the aperture and upon the magnetic insulator layer; removing the layer having an aperture from the nonmagnetic insulator layer; depositing a sacrificial mask layer; removing the layer having an aperture from the gap material layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process to remove exposed material.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 27 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel phosphorus.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 27 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel iron.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 27 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing a first and a second sacrificial mask layer, the first sacrificial mask layer sandwiched between the second sacrificial mask layer and the second magnetic layer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 27 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises ion milling.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 27 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises reactive ion milling.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 27 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises sputter etching.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the second magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 microns to about 1 micron.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns, the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 microns to about 1 micron and the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
12 words
A thin film magnetic transducer formed by the method of claim 27.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer comprising: depositing a gap material layer upon a magnetic substrate; depositing a second magnetic layer upon the gap material layer; forming a sacrificial mask layer over the second magnetic layer and in self alignment with the second magnetic layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic transducer comprising: depositing a gap material layer upon a magnetic substrate; depositing a second magnetic layer upon the gap material layer; forming a sacrificial mask layer over the second magnetic layer and in self alignment with the second magnetic layer; and exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal process.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 40 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel phosphorus.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 40 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing nickel iron.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 40 wherein depositing the sacrificial mask layer comprises depositing a first and a second sacrificial mask layer, the first sacrificial mask layer sandwiched between the second sacrificial mask layer and the second magnetic layer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 40 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises ion milling.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 40 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises reactive ion milling.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 40 wherein exposing the thin film magnetic transducer to a material removal comprises sputter etching.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 40 wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 40 wherein the second magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 40 wherein the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 to microns to about 1 micron.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 40 wherein the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 40 wherein the first magnetic layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 5 microns, the gap material layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.1 microns to about 1 micron and the sacrificial mask layer has a thickness in a range from about 1 micron to about 7 microns.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
13 words
A thin film magnetic transducer formed by the method defined in claim 40.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-02-11 | 1994-08-13 | 1995-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-02-11 | 1998-08-13 | 1999-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-02-11 | 2002-08-13 | 2003-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |