Write element for perpendicular recording in a data storage system
View Patent ↗A write element for perpendicular recording in a data storage system is fabricated to maintain the thickness of a side shield at both edges of a pole P 3 , and to form the pole P 3 in a trapezoidal shape. Forming a side shield around the pole P 3 removes stray fields, creating a quiet, noise-free write element and preventing side erasure. The fabrication method utilizes a magnetic buffer layer to protect a shield gap during trim of the pole P 3 , and thus to provide the shield gap with a uniform thickness. The magnetic buffer layer also protects the shield gap and pole P 3 when the top hard mask is removed. Consequently, the write field is made uniform across the track width. The fabrication method uses a metal in the shield gap to improve the pole geometry after pole trim and to provide a uniform edge to the pole P 3.
1. A write element for use in perpendicular recording in a data storage system, comprising:
a first pole P 1 formed atop a read element;
a first substrate layer formed over the first pole P 1 ;
a second pole P 2 that defines a recess;
a non-magnetic material that is deposited in the recess;
a third pole P 3 that is deposited atop at least part of the second pole P 2 and the non-magnetic material;
a shield gap that is deposited over substantially an entire surface of the third pole P 3 ;
a magnetic buffer layer that is deposited over substantially an entire surface of the shield gap;
the third pole P 3 having a top and a base, the base of the third pole P 3 being narrower than the top of the third pole P 3 ;
a side gap formed alongside the third pole P 3 , the shield gap, and the magnetic buffer layer; and
a shield layer that is deposited substantially over an magnetic buffer layer, the side gap, and the non-magnetic material.
2. The write element of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the third pole P 3 is a generally trapezoidal shape.
3. The write element of claim 2 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by depositing a photoresist layer on part of a hard mask.
4. The write element of claim 3 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by etching the hard mask, the magnetic buffer layer, the shield gap, and the third pole P 3 .
5. The write element of claim 4 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by removing the photoresist layer and the hard mask.
6. The write element of claim 5 , wherein the side gap is formed by depositing a side gap material to cover the magnetic buffer layer, the shield gap, the third pole P 3 , the second pole P 2 , and the non-magnetic material.
7. The write element of claim 6 , wherein the side gap is formed by etching the side gap material to define two side gaps on either side of the third pole P 3 .
8. The write element of claim 7 , further comprising a throat that is defined by partially removing the shield layer and the magnetic buffer layer.
9. The write element of claim 8 , further comprising a second substrate layer that is deposited behind the throat, on top of the third pole P 3 and the second pole P 2 , and that extends to a rearward edge of the third pole P 3 .
10. The write element of claim 9 , wherein a top surface of the second substrate layer and a top surface of the shield layer are planarized to the same level.
11. The write element of claim 9 , further comprising a first coil layer that is formed in the first substrate layer.
12. The write element of claim 11 , further comprising a second coil layer that is formed in a third substrate layer, on top of the second substrate layer.
13. The write element of claim 12 , further comprising a fourth shield layer that is deposited over the third substrate layer.
14. The write element of claim 2 , wherein the third pole P 3 defines an inclination angle between a side of the third pole P 3 and a reference plane.
15. The write element of claim 14 , wherein the inclination angle varies between approximately 80 degrees and 90 degrees.
16. The write element of claim 15 , wherein the top of the third pole P 3 is located in proximity to the shield gap and the base of the third pole P 3 is located in proximity to the non-magnetic material in the recess.
17. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the shield gap is made essentially of a magnetic material.
18. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the shield gap is made of a dielectric material.
19. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the shield gap is selected from a group comprised essentially of: NiCr, Al 2 O 3 , Ta, NiNb, and NiFeCr.
20. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is made essentially of a high moment magnetic material.
21. The write element of claim 20 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is selected from a group comprised essentially of: NiFe, CoFe, CoFeN, and CoNiFe.
22. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is made of a soft magnetic material.
23. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the hard mask is made essentially of Al 2 O 3 and DLC.
24. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the hard mask is made essentially of diamond-like carbon material.
25. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the side gap is made essentially of dielectric material.
26. The write element of claim 25 , wherein the side gap is selected from a group comprised essentially of: Si 3 N 4 , SiO 2 , and Si.
27. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the third pole P 3 is made of a high saturation magnetic moment material.
28. The write element of claim 1 , wherein the third pole P 3 has a saturation magnetic moment is at least greater than 2.0 teslas.
29. The write element of claim 28 , wherein the third pole P 3 is selected from a group comprised essentially of: CoFeN, CoFeNi, CoFe.
30. A head for use in perpendicular recording in a data storage system, comprising:
a first pole P 1 formed atop a read element;
a first substrate layer formed over the first pole P 1 ;
a second pole P 2 that defines a recess;
a non-magnetic material that is deposited in the recess;
a third pole P 3 that is deposited atop at least part of the second pole P 2 and the non-magnetic material;
a shield gap that is deposited over substantially an entire surface of the third pole P 3 ;
a magnetic buffer layer that is deposited over substantially an entire surface of the shield gap;
the third pole P 3 having a top layer and a base, the base of the third pole P 3 being narrower than the top of the third pole P 3 ;
a side gap formed alongside the third pole P 3 , the shield gap, and the magnetic buffer layer; and
a shield layer that is deposited substantially over the magnetic buffer layer, the side gap, and the non-magnetic material.
31. The head of claim 30 , wherein a shape of the third pole P 3 is a generally trapezoidal shape.
32. The head of claim 31 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by depositing a photoresist layer on part of a hard mask.
33. The head of claim 32 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by etching the hard mask, the magnetic buffer layer, the shield gap, and the third pole P 3 .
34. The head of claim 33 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by removing the photoresist layer and the hard mask.
35. The head of claim 34 , wherein the side gap is formed by depositing a side gap material to cover the magnetic buffer layer, the shield gap, the third pole P 3 , the second pole P 2 , and the non-magnetic material.
36. The head of claim 35 , wherein the side gap is formed by etching the side gap material to define two side gaps on either side of the third pole P 3 .
37. The head of claim 36 , further comprising a throat that is defined by partially removing the shield layer and the magnetic buffer layer.
38. The head of claim 37 , further comprising a second substrate layer that is deposited behind the throat, on top of the third pole P 3 and the second pole P 2 , and that extends to a rearward edge of the third pole P 3 .
39. The head of claim 38 , wherein a top surface of the second substrate layer and a top surface of the shield layer are planarized to the same level.
40. The head of claim 38 , further comprising a first coil layer that is formed in the first substrate layer.
41. The head of claim 40 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is selected from a group comprised essentially of NiFe, CoFe, CoFeN, and CoNiFe.
42. The head of claim 40 , further comprising a second coil layer that is formed in a third substrate layer, on top of the second substrate layer.
43. The head of claim 42 , further comprising a fourth shield layer that is deposited over the third substrate layer.
44. The head of claim 31 , wherein the third pole P 3 defines an inclination angle between a side of the third pole P 3 and a reference plane.
45. The head of claim 44 , wherein the inclination angle varies between approximately 80 degrees and 90 degrees.
46. The head of claim 45 , wherein the top of the third pole P 3 is located in proximity to the shield gap and the base of the third pole P 3 is located in proximity to the non-magnetic material in the recess.
47. The head of claim 30 , wherein the shield gap is made essentially of a magnetic material.
48. The head of claim 30 , wherein the shield gap is made of a dielectric material.
49. The head of claim 30 , wherein the shield gap is selected from a group comprised essentially of: NiCr, Al 2 O 3 , Ta, NiNb, and NiFeCr.
50. The head of claim 30 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is made essentially of a high moment magnetic material.
51. The head of claim 30 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is made of a soft magnetic material.
52. The head of claim 30 , wherein the hard mask is made essentially of Al 2 O 3 and DLC.
53. The head of claim 30 , wherein the hard mask is made essentially of diamond-like carbon material.
54. The head of claim 30 , wherein the side gap is made essentially of dielectric material.
55. The head of claim 54 , wherein the side gap is selected from a group comprised essentially of: Si 3 N 4 , SiO 2 , and Si.
56. The head of claim 30 , wherein the third pole P 3 is made of a high saturation magnetic moment material.
57. The head of claim 30 , wherein the third pole P 3 has a saturation magnetic moment is at least greater than 2.0 teslas.
58. The head of claim 28 , wherein the third pole P 3 is selected from a group comprised essentially of: CoFeN, CoFeNi, CoFe.
59. A disk drive comprising:
a base;
a spindle motor attached to the base;
a disk positioned on the spindle motor;
a head stack assembly coupled to the base and comprising:
an actuator body;
an actuator arm cantilevered from the actuator body; and
a head for use in perpendicular recording;
the head including:
a first pole P 1 formed atop a read element;
a first substrate layer formed over the first pole P 1 ;
a second pole P 2 that defines a recess;
a non-magnetic material that is deposited in the recess;
a third pole P 3 that is deposited atop at least part of the second pole P 2 and the non-magnetic material;
a shield gap that is deposited over substantially an entire surface of the third pole P 3 ;
a magnetic buffer layer that is deposited over substantially an entire surface of the shield gap;
the third pole P 3 having a top and a base, the of the third pole P 3 P 3 being narrower than the top of the third pole P 3 ;
a side gap formed alongside the third pole P 3 , the shield gap, and the magnetic buffer layer; and
a shield layer that is deposited substantially over the magnetic buffer layer, the side gap, and the non-magnetic material.
60. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein a shape of the third pole P 3 is a generally trapezoidal shape.
61. The disk drive of claim 60 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by depositing a photoresist layer on part of a hard mask.
62. The disk drive of claim 61 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by etching the hard mask, the magnetic buffer layer, the shield gap, and the third pole P 3 .
63. The disk drive of claim 62 , wherein the third pole P 3 is shaped by removing the photoresist layer and the hard mask.
64. The disk drive of claim 63 , wherein the side gap is formed by depositing a side gap material to cover the magnetic buffer layer, the shield gap, the third pole P 3 , the second pole P 2 , and the non-magnetic material.
65. The disk drive of claim 64 , wherein the side gap is formed by etching the side gap material to define two side gaps on either side of the third pole P 3 .
66. The disk drive of claim 65 , further comprising a throat that is defined by partially removing the shield layer and the magnetic buffer layer.
67. The disk drive of claim 66 , further comprising a second substrate layer that is deposited behind the throat, on top of the third pole P 3 and the second pole P 2 , and that extends to a rearward edge of the third pole P 3 .
68. The disk drive of claim 67 , wherein a top surface of the second substrate layer and a top surface of the shield layer are planarized to the same level.
69. The disk drive of claim 67 , further comprising a first coil layer that is formed in the first substrate layer.
70. The disk drive of claim 69 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is selected from a group comprised essentially of: NiFe, CoFe, CoFeN, and CoNiFe.
71. The disk drive of claim 70 , further comprising a second coil layer that is formed in a third substrate layer, on top of the second substrate layer.
72. The disk drive of claim 69 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is selected from a group comprised essentially of: NiFe, CoFe, CoFeN, and CoNiFe.
73. The disk drive of claim 60 , wherein the third pole P 3 defines an inclination angle between a side of the third pole P 3 and a reference plane.
74. The disk drive of claim 73 , wherein the inclination angle varies between approximately 80 degrees and 90 degrees.
75. The disk drive of claim 74 , wherein the top of the third pole P 3 is located in proximity to the shield gap and the base of the third pole P 3 is located in proximity to the non-magnetic material in the recess.
76. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the shield gap is made essentially of a magnetic material.
77. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the shield gap is made of a dielectric material.
78. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the shield gap is selected from a group comprised essentially of: NiCr, Al 2 O 3 , Ta, NiNb, and NiFeCr.
79. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is made essentially of a high moment magnetic material.
80. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the magnetic buffer layer is made of a soft magnetic material.
81. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the hard mask is made essentially of Al 2 O 3 and DLC.
82. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the hard mask is made essentially of diamond-like carbon material.
83. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the side gap is made essentially of dielectric material.
84. The disk drive of claim 83 , wherein the side gap is selected from a group comprised essentially of Si 3 N 4 , SiO 2 , and Si.
85. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the third pole P 3 is made of a high saturation magnetic moment material.
86. The disk drive of claim 59 , wherein the third pole P 3 has a saturation magnetic moment is at least greater than 2.0 teslas.
87. The disk drive of claim 86 , wherein the third pole P 3 is selected from a group comprised essentially of: CoFeN, CoFeNi, CoFe.