Fabrication process for preparing recording head sliders made from silicon substrates with SiO
View Patent ↗A method for fabricating recording head sliders made from silicon substrates, is described. A Silicon wafer with a SiO 2 overcoat is provided, and a layer of material which is resistant to Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) is deposited on the SiO 2 overcoat. A patterned layer of material which is resistant to Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) is deposited on the layer of DRIE-resistant material to form a primary mask. RIE is used through the primary mask to pattern the SiO 2 overcoat layer and the layer of DRIE-resistant material. The primary mask is then removing to expose the layer of DRIE-resistant material which has now been patterned to form a secondary mask. DRIE is then used through the secondary mask to cut the Si wafer into pieces. Finally, the secondary mask is removed.
1. A method for fabricating recording head sliders made from silicon substrates with SiO 2 overcoats, comprising:
A) providing a Si wafer which has been fabricated with a SiO 2 overcoat;
B) depositing a layer of DRIE-resistant material on said SiO 2 overcoat, wherein said DRIE-resistant material is Al 2 O 3 ;
C) depositing a patterned layer of RIE-resistant material on said layer of DRIE-resistant material to form a primary mask;
D) etching by RIE through said primary mask to pattern said SiO 2 overcoat layer and said layer of DRIE-resistant material;
E) removing said primary mask to expose said layer of DRIE-resistant material which has now been patterned to form a secondary mask;
F) etching by DRIE through said secondary mask to cut said Si wafer into pieces; and
G) removing said secondary mask.
2. The method of fabrication of claim 1 , wherein:
said RIE-resistant material is a metal.
3. The method of fabrication of claim 1 , wherein:
said RIE-resistant material is a transition metal.
4. The method of fabrication of claim 1 , wherein: said RIE-resistant material is chosen front the group consisting of Cu, NiFe, and transition metals.
5. The method of fabrication of claim 1 , wherein:
said C) depositing a patterned layer of RIE-resistant material on said layer of DRIE-resistant material to form a primary mask comprises;
i) applying, exposing and developing photoresist to create the pattern;
ii) plating the layer of RIE-resistant material into the photo-resist pattern; and
iii) stripping the photo-resist.
6. The method of fabrication of claim 5 , wherein said C) depositing a patterned layer of RIE-resistant material on said layer of DRIE-resistant material to form a primary mask further comprises;
applying a seed layer of RIE-resistant material before applying said photoresist.
7. The method of fabrication of claim 6 , wherein:
said D) etching by RIE further comprises:
first sputter-etching away said seed layer of RIE-resistant material before RIE.
8. The method of fabrication of claim 1 , wherein:
said E) removing said primary mask is done by selective wet etching.
9. The method of fabrication of claim 1 , wherein:
said F) removing said secondary mask is done by selective wet etching.
10. A method for fabricating recording head sliders made from silicon substrates, comprising:
A) producing a SiO 2 overcoat on said Si wafer,
B) depositing a layer of DRIE-resistant material on said SiO 2 overcoat, wherein said DRIE-resistant material is Al 2 O 3 ;
C) depositing a RIE mask on said layer of DRIE-resistant material;
D) etching by RIE through said RIE mask to pattern said SiO 2 overcoat layer and form a DRIE mask from said DRIE-resistant material;
E) removing said RIE mask to expose said DRIE mask;
F) etching by DRIE through said DRIE mask to cut said Si wafer; and
G) removing said DRIE mask.
11. The method of fabrication of claim 10 , wherein:
said RIE-resistant material is a metal.
12. The method of fabrication of claim 10 , wherein:
said RIE-resistant material is a transition metal.
13. The method of fabrication of claim 10 , wherein:
said RIE-resistant material is chosen from the group consisting of Cu, NiFe, and transition metals.
14. The method of fabrication of claim 10 , wherein:
2 C) depositing a RIE mask on said layer of DRIE-resistant material comprises;
i) applying, exposing and developing photoresist to create the pattern;
ii) plating the layer of RIE-resistant material into the photo-resist pattern; and
iii) stripping the photo-resist.
15. The method of fabrication of claim 14 , wherein:
C) depositing a RIE mask on said layer of DRIE-resistant material further comprises:
i) applying a seed layer of RIE-resistant material before applying said photoresit.
16. The method of fabrication of claim 15 , wherein:
said D) etching by RIE further comprises:
first sputter-etching away said seed layer of RIE-resistant material before RIE.
17. The method of fabrication of claim 10 , wherein:
said E) removing said RIE mask is done by selective wet etching.
18. The method of fabrication of claim 10 , wherein:
said F) removing said DRIE mask is done by selective wet etching.