Granted Patent B1

US 7,419,891 · App. 11/352,652 · Granted Sep 2, 2008

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. A method for providing a magnetic element comprising;

providing a magnetic element stack including a plurality of layers;

depositing a stop layer on the magnetic element stack;

providing a dielectric antireflective coating (DARC) layer on the stop layer;

forming a single layer mask having a first width for defining the magnetic element on a first portion of the DARC layer;

removing a second portion of the DARC layer not covered by the single layer mask, the first portion of the DARC layer covering a first portion of the stop layer;

continuing removal of the DARC layer until the first portion has a second width not larger than the first width;

removing a second portion of the stop layer not covered by the first portion of the DARC layer to form a third portion of the stop layer, the third portion having a third width greater than or equal to the second width; and

defining the magnetic element using at least the third portion of stop layer as a mask.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the stop layer depositing further includes:

depositing diamond-like carbon layer on the magnetic element stack.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the remaining portion of the stop layer removing further includes:

performing an oxygen plasma reactive ion etch.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stop layer depositing further includes:

depositing a layer include at least one of Ta, W, Alumina, and silicon dioxide on the magnetic element stack.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the remaining portion of the stop layer removing further includes:

performing an oxygen plasma reactive ion etch, a carbon monoxide etch, or a fluorine etch.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the DARC layer providing step further includes:

providing a layer including at least one of SiO 3 , Si x N 4 and SiO x N y .

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the remaining portion of the DARC layer not covered by the single layer mask removing further includes:

performing a fluorine plasma reactive ion etch.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the single layer mask forming further includes:

forming the single layer mask using deep ultra violet photoresist.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the single layer mask forming further includes:

trimming the single layer mask.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic element defining further includes:

performing an ion milling or reactive ion etching.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

depositing an insulating layer;

fabricating a hard bias layer on the insulating layer; and

creating a Cr filler layer on the hard bias layer.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

performing a planarization, the portion of the stop layer acting as a planarization stop.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

exposing a top portion of the magnetic element.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the exposing further includes:

removing at least part of the portion of the stop layer.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

depositing an insulating layer;

fabricating a hard bias layer on the insulating layer; and

creating a filler layer including at least one of alumina, silicon dioxide, and silicon nitride on the hard bias layer.

16. A method for forming a magnetic element comprising:

providing a magnetic element stack including a plurality of layers;

depositing a diamond-like carbon layer on the magnetic element stack;

providing a dielectric antireflective coating (DARC) layer on the diamond-like carbon layer;

forming a single layer mask having a first width for defining the magnetic element on a portion of the DARC layer, the single layer mask including a deep ultra-violet photoresist;

removing a second portion of the DARC layer not covered by the single layer mask using a fluorine plasma reactive ion etch, the first portion of the DARC layer covering a first portion of the diamond-like carbon layer;

continuing removal of the DARC layer until a second width of the first portion of the DARC layer is not larger than the first width;

removing a second portion of the diamond-like carbon layer using an oxygen reactive ion etch to form a third portion of the diamond-like carbon layer, the third portion of the diamond-like carbon layer having a third width greater than or equal to the second width;

defining the magnetic element using at least the portion of diamond-like carbon layer as a mask using an ion milling step;

depositing a plurality of layers on the magnetic element including a Cr filler layer.

Assignments (8)