Thin film magnetic head and fabrication process for preventing short-circuit failure in a narrow track width and narrow gap length
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention relate to preventing short-circuit failure even in the narrow track width and narrow gap length, resulting in improved yield. In one embodiment, die sensor heads are placed on both sides of the track direction of the sensor film. The sensor heads comprise the first insulating film with at least a part connected to the track direction wall surface of the sensor film and the third insulating film formed between the upper shield and the first insulating film, and have the relationship being Tw<Dx<Bx where the distance between edges of the first insulating film connected to the track direction wall surface of the sensor film is Tw, the distance between outside edges of the first insulating film along the track direction Bx, and the distance of inside edges of the third insulating film along the track direction Dx.
1. A thin film magnetic head, comprising:
a sensor film;
a mechanism to allow an electric current flow along the film thickness direction;
an upper shield and a lower shield;
a first insulating film provided at both ends in a track direction of said sensor film on an air bearing surface side with at least one part connected to a track direction wall surface of said sensor film; and
a second insulating film formed between said upper shield and said first insulating film;
wherein the relationship Tw<Dx<Bx holds in which Tw is a distance between edges of said first insulating film connected to said track direction wall surface of said sensor film, Bx is a distance between outside edges of said first insulating film along the track direction, and Dx is a distance between inside edges of said second insulating film along the track direction;
wherein a pattern providing said Tw, a pattern providing a length along a depth direction from an air bearing surface of said sensor film, and a pattern providing a length along the depth direction from an air bearing surface of said second insulating film are additionally included; and
a relationship Cy<Dy<Ty holds in which Ty is the length of the pattern providing said Tw along the depth direction from an air bearing surface, Cy is the length of the pattern along the depth direction providing the length of depth direction from an air bearing surface of said sensor film, and Dy is the length of the pattern along the depth direction from an air bearing surface providing the length of depth direction from an air bearing surface of said second insulating film.
2. A thin film magnetic head as in claim 1 , wherein a magnetic film is formed between said first insulating film and said second insulating film.
3. A thin film magnetic head as in claim 2 , wherein said magnetic film contains a hard magnetic film or a soft magnetic film.
4. A thin film magnetic head, comprising:
a sensor film;
a mechanism to allow an electric current flow along the film thickness direction;
an upper shield and a lower shield;
a first insulating film provided at both ends in a track direction of said sensor film on an air bearing surface side with at least one part connected to a track direction wall surface of said sensor film;
a second insulating film formed between edges of said first insulating film along the track direction and the lower shield; and
a third insulating layer formed between said upper shield and said first insulating film,
wherein the relationship Tw<Dx<Ax<Bx holds in which Tw is a distance between edges of said first insulating film connected to said track direction wall surface of said sensor film, Bx is a distance between outside edges of said first insulating film along the track direction, Ax is a distance between inside edges of said second insulating film along the track direction, and Dx is a distance between inside edges of said third insulating film along the track direction.
5. A thin film magnetic head as in claim 4 , wherein a pattern providing said Tw, a pattern providing a length along a depth direction from an air bearing surface of said sensor film, and a pattern providing a length along the depth direction from an air bearing surface of said third insulating film are additionally included; and
a relationship Cy<Dy<Ty holds in which Ty is the length of the pattern providing said Tw along the depth direction from an air bearing surface, Cy is the length of the pattern along the depth direction providing the length of depth direction from an air bearing surface of said sensor film, and Dy is the length of the pattern along the depth direction from an air bearing surface providing the length of the depth direction from an air bearing surface of said third insulating film.
6. A thin film magnetic head as in claim 4 , wherein a magnetic film is formed between said first insulating film and said third insulating film.
7. A thin film magnetic head as in claim 6 , wherein said magnetic film contains a hard magnetic film or a soft magnetic film.