Magnetic recording head with resistive heating element and thermal barrier layer
View Patent ↗A thin film magnetic head includes a slider body having a trailing surface meeting an air-bearing surface at a trailing edge. A magnetic read and write elements are disposed along the trailing surface near the trailing edge. The magnetic write element includes write poles and a coil. A portion of a heating element is disposed in a first general plane beneath the coil and above the magnetic read element. At least one thermally-insulating layer of material having a thermal conductivity of less than about 2.0 W/m-K extends in a second general plane substantially beneath the heating element.
1. A thin film magnetic head comprising:
a slider body having a trailing surface meeting an air-bearing surface (ABS) at a trailing edge;
a magnetic read element disposed along the trailing surface near the trailing edge;
a magnetic write element disposed along the trailing surface near the trailing edge, the magnetic write element including write poles and a coil;
a heating element, a portion of the heating element being disposed in a first general plane beneath the coil and above the magnetic read element; and
at least one thermally-insulating layer of material having a thermal conductivity of less than about 2.0 W/m-K that extends in a second general plane substantially beneath the heating element.
2. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the at least one thermally-insulating layer of material comprises a nano-laminate material.
3. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the at least one thermally-insulating layer of material comprises W/Al 2 O 3 .
4. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the at least one thermally-insulating layer of material has a thickness in a range of 300 to 500 nanometers.
5. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 further comprising a layer of alumina that covers at least a portion of the trailing surface of the slider body, the at least one thermally-insulating layer of material being embedded in the layer of alumina.
6. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the at least one thermally-insulating layer of material is recessed from the ABS.
7. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the at least one thermally-insulating layer of material comprises photoresist.
8. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 further comprising an electrically-insulating layer of material that covers an upper surface of the at least one thermally-insulating layer of material.
9. The thin film magnetic head of claim 8 wherein the electrically-insulating layer of material comprises alumina.
10. The thin film magnetic head of claim 1 wherein the heating element comprises an electrically-resistive material consisting essentially of NiCr, CuMnNi, or CuNi.