Perpendicular magnetic recording head utilizing a nonmagnetic underlayer layer
View Patent ↗The method and system for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head are described. The PMR head includes a base layer, a nonmagnetic metal underlayer on the base layer, and a PMR pole on the nonmagnetic metal underlayer. The PMR pole has a top that is wider than its bottom. The base layer has a first hardness with respect to a pole trim. The nonmagnetic metal underlayer has a second hardness with respect to the pole trim. The second hardness is less than the first hardness.
1. A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head comprising:
a base layer having a first hardness with respect to a pole trim;
a nonmagnetic metal underlayer comprising NiNb or Ta, the nonmagnetic metal underlayer having a second hardness with respect to the pole trim, the second hardness being less than the first hardness;
a PMR pole on the nonmagnetic metal underlayer, the PMR pole having a top and a bottom, the top being wider than the bottom.
2. The PMR head of claim 1 wherein the PMR pole further has a pole width at a base of the PMR pole and wherein the nonmagnetic metal underlayer has a width at least as great as the pole width.
3. The PMR head of claim 1 wherein the nonmagnetic metal underlayer is a plated layer.
4. The PMR head of claim 1 wherein the nonmagnetic metal underlayer includes at least one sputtered layer.
5. The PMR head of claim 1 wherein the PMR pole includes at least one plated layer.
6. The PMR head of claim 1 wherein the base layer includes aluminum oxide.
7. The PMR head of claim 1 wherein the PMR pole includes a third hardness with respect to the pole trim, the second hardness being less than the first hardness and not less than the third hardness.
8. The PMR head of claim 7 wherein the second hardness is greater than the third hardness.
9. The PMR head of claim 1 wherein the PMR pole includes a third hardness with respect to the pole trim, the second hardness being less than the third hardness.
10. A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head comprising:
a base layer having a first hardness with respect to a pole trim;
a nonmagnetic metal underlayer having a second hardness with respect to the pole trim and a width, the nonmagnetic metal underlayer comprising NiNb or Ta;
a PMR pole on the nonmagnetic metal underlayer, the PMR pole having a top, a bottom, and a height, the top being wider than the bottom, the PMR pole having a third hardness with respect to the pole trim, the second hardness being between the first hardness and the third hardness, the width being at least as large as the pole height.
11. A method for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head comprising:
providing a base layer having a first hardness with respect to a pole trim;
providing a nonmagnetic metal underlayer comprising NiNb or Ta, the nonmagnetic metal underlayer having a second hardness with respect to the pole trim, the second hardness being less than the first hardness;
providing a PMR pole on the nonmagnetic metal underlayer, the PMR pole having a top and a bottom, the top being wider than the bottom, the PMR pole providing including
performing the pole trim for the PMR pole.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the PMR pole providing further includes:
providing a mask structure on the nonmagnetic metal underlayer, the resist structure having a trench therein;
depositing at least one pole layer, a portion of the at least one pole layer residing in the trench;
removing the resist structure, the portion of the at least one pole layer remaining; and
wherein the pole trim further includes performing the pole trim on the portion of the at least one pole layer.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
providing an insulator for the PMR pole after the pole trim is performed and before further processing of the PMR head is performed.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one pole layer providing further includes:
plating the at least one pole layer.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein the PMR head has a surface and wherein the pole trim further includes:
performing an ion mill at an angle of at least forty degrees from normal to the surface.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the angle is at least forty degrees and not more than seventy degrees.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein the nonmagnetic metal underlayer providing further includes:
plating the nonmagnetic underlay layer.
18. The method of claim 11 wherein the nonmagnetic metal underlayer providing further includes:
sputtering the nonmagnetic underlay layer.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the nonmagnetic metal underlayer providing further includes:
providing a layer including at least one of Ru, Ta, NiNb, Ti, and NiCr.
20. The method of claim 11 wherein the nonmagnetic metal underlayer includes NiNb.
21. The method of claim 11 wherein the PMR pole providing further includes:
providing the PMR pole having a pole width at a base of the PMR pole, the nonmagnetic metal underlayer having a final width at least as great as the pole width.
22. The method of claim 11 wherein the PMR head has a head width and wherein the width of the nonmagnetic metal underlayer has a width that is substantially the same as the head width.
23. The method of claim 11 wherein the PMR pole includes a third hardness with respect to the pole trim, the second hardness being less than the first hardness and not less than the third hardness.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein the second hardness is greater than the third hardness.
25. The method of claim 11 wherein the PMR pole includes a third hardness with respect to the pole trim, the second hardness being less than the third hardness.