Method for manufacturing a magnetic write head

1. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a magnetic write pole over the substrate, the write pole having a non-magnetic trailing gap layer formed on a trailing edge of the write pole and first and second non-magnetic side gap layers formed on first and second sides of the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer;

forming mask structure over the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer, the mask having an opening in an area over the write pole that defines a desired non-magnetic bump shape, and covering an area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide (ELG);

performing an ion milling to remove an exposed portion of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive seed layer in the area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material to form a non-magnetic bump over a portion of the write pole;

wherein the deposition of the non-magnetic bump material is performed in a manner to form a tapered edge on the non-magnetic bump.

2. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising, after depositing the non-magnetic bump material to form the non-magnetic bump over the portion of the write pole:

lifting off the mask;

depositing a seed layer;

forming a second mask structure having an opening over the write pole configured to define a magnetic shield; and

electroplating a magnetic material into the opening in the second mask structure to form a wrap around magnetic shield.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein the magnetic shield is formed over and edge of the non-magnetic bump.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the mask structure is a bi-layer structure having an overhang and wherein the bi-layer structure and overhang causes the deposited non-magnetic bump material to form the non-magnetic bump having the tapered front edge.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein shadowing from the mask structure causes the non-magnetic bump to have the tapered front edge.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the depositing a non-magnetic bump material comprises ion beam deposition performed at one or more angles, chosen to form the non-magnetic bump with the tapered front edge.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic bump material comprises TaO, or Ta.

8. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a magnetic write pole over the substrate, the write pole having a non-magnetic trailing gap layer formed on a trailing edge of the write pole and first and second non-magnetic side gap layers formed on first and second sides of the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer;

forming mask structure over the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer, the mask having an opening in an area over the write pole that defines a desired non-magnetic bump shape, and covering an area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide (ELG);

performing an ion milling to remove an exposed portion of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive seed layer in the area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material by ion beam deposition to form a non-magnetic bump over a portion of the write pole.

9. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a magnetic write pole over the substrate, the write pole having a non-magnetic trailing gap layer formed on a trailing edge of the write pole and first and second non-magnetic side gap layers formed on first and second sides of the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer;

forming mask structure over the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer, the mask having an opening in an area over the write pole that defines a desired non-magnetic bump shape, and covering an area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide (ELG);

performing an ion milling to remove an exposed portion of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive seed layer in the area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material to form a non-magnetic bump over a portion of the write pole;

wherein the non-magnetic bump material comprises alumina.

10. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a magnetic write pole over the substrate, the write pole having a non-magnetic trailing gap layer formed on a trailing edge of the write pole and first and second non-magnetic side gap layers formed on first and second sides of the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer;

forming mask structure over the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer, the mask having an opening in an area over the write pole that defines a desired non-magnetic bump shape, and covering an area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide (ELG);

performing an ion milling to remove an exposed portion of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive seed layer in the area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material to form a non-magnetic bump over a portion of the write pole;

wherein the non-magnetic bump material is deposited to a thickness of 30 to 300 nm.

11. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a magnetic write pole over the substrate, the write pole having a non-magnetic trailing gap layer formed on a trailing edge of the write pole and first and second non-magnetic side gap layers formed on first and second sides of the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer,

forming mask structure over the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer, the mask having an opening in an area over the write pole that defines a desired non-magnetic bump shape, and covering an area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide (ELG);

performing an ion milling to remove an exposed portion of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive seed layer in the area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material to form a non-magnetic bump over a portion of the write pole;

wherein the non-magnetic bump material is deposited to a thickness of about 80 nm.

12. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a magnetic write pole over the substrate, the write pole having a non-magnetic trailing gap layer formed on a trailing edge of the write pole and first and second non-magnetic side gap layers formed on first and second sides of the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer;

forming mask structure over the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer, the mask having an opening in an area over the write pole that defines a desired non-magnetic bump shape, and covering an area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide (ELG);

performing an ion milling to remove an exposed portion of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive seed layer in the area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material to form a non-magnetic bump over a portion of the write pole;

wherein the non-magnetic bump material comprises alumina deposited to a thickness of 30 to 300 nm.

13. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a magnetic write pole over the substrate, the write pole having a non-magnetic trailing gap layer formed on a trailing edge of the write pole and first and second non-magnetic side gap layers formed on first and second sides of the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic electrically conductive layer;

forming mask structure over the non-magnetic, electrically conductive layer, the mask having an opening in an area over the write pole that defines a desired non-magnetic bump shape, and covering an area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide (ELG);

performing an ion milling to remove an exposed portion of the non-magnetic, electrically conductive seed layer in the area away from the write pole to define an electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material to form a non-magnetic bump over a portion of the write pole;

wherein the non-magnetic bump material comprises TaO or Ta, deposited to a thickness of 30 to 300 nm.

14. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:

providing a substrate;

depositing a magnetic write pole material over the substrate;

forming a first mask structure over the write pole material, the first mask structure being configured to define a write pole;

performing a first ion milling to remove portions of the write pole material that are not protected by the first mask structure to form the write pole;

depositing a non-magnetic side gap material;

performing a material removal process to preferentially remove horizontally disposed portions of the non-magnetic side gap material;

depositing a non-magnetic metal;

forming a second mask structure, the second mask structure having a first portion formed over the write pole the first portion having an opening with a front edge configured to define a front edge of a non-magnetic bump, and having a second portion configured to cover an area to define an electrical lapping guide;

performing a second ion milling to remove portions of the non-magnetic metal that are not protected by the second portion of the second mask structure to form the electrical lapping guide; and

depositing a non-magnetic bump material;

wherein the deposition of the non-magnetic bump material is performed in a manner to form a tapered edge on the non-magnetic bump.

15. The method as in claim 14 , wherein the second mask structure is a bi-layer mask structure having an over-hang, and wherein shadowing from the second mask structure causes the deposited non-magnetic bump material to form the non-magnetic bump having the tapered front edge.

16. The method as in claim 14 wherein the non-magnetic bump material is deposited by ion beam deposition, which is performed at an angle chosen to form the non-magnetic bump having the tapered edge.

17. The method as in claim 14 wherein the non-magnetic bump material comprises TaO deposited by ion beam deposition, the ion beam deposition being performed at an angle chosen to form the non-magnetic bump having the tapered front edge.

18. The method as in claim 14 wherein the non-magnetic bump material is alumina deposited by ion beam deposition, the ion beam deposition being performed at an angle chosen to form the non-magnetic bump having the tapered front edge.

19. The method as in claim 14 wherein the second mask structure is a bi-layer structure having an over-hang, and wherein the deposition of the non-magnetic bump material comprises an ion beam deposition performed at an angle such that shadowing from the bi-layer second mask structure causes the deposition of the non-magnetic bump material to form the non-magnetic bump having the tapered front edge.