Method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic write pole having a large bevel angle
View Patent ↗A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording, the write head having a write pole with an increased bevel (taper) angle. The write pole is constructed by forming a mask structure over a magnetic write pole material, and then performing a combination of sweeping or rotation with static (non-rotating, non-sweeping) ion milling at an angle relative to normal. The ion milling is performed while moving the wafer laterally within the ion milling tool to ensure that the ion milling is performed uniformly across the wafer during static milling.
1. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein the forming a mask structure further comprises, before performing the first and second ion millings;
depositing a hard mask layer;
depositing an image transfer layer;
depositing a photoresist layer;
photolithographically patterning the photoresist layer; and
performing an image transfer ion milling to transfer the image of the photoresist layer onto the underlying image transfer layer and hard mask layer.
2. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material, the mask structure including an image transfer layer that comprises a soluble polyimed;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer.
3. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material, the mask structure including a hard mask layer that comprises alumina;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer.
4. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein the first and second ion millings are performed so as to form a write pole having first and second side walls having a taper angle of about 10 degrees.
5. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein, during the ion milling, the wafer is arranged such that a normal to a surface of the wafer forms an angle of 5-70 degrees relative to the ion beam column.
6. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein the ion milling is initiated with the wafer being located outside of the ion beam column, continues while the wafer passes through the ion beam column and is terminated when the wafer is again outside of the ion beam column.
7. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein the forming a mask structure further comprises:
depositing a hard mask layer, an image transfer layer, and a photoresist layer;
photolithographically patterning the photoresist layer; and
performing an image transfer ion milling to transfer the image of the patterned photoresist layer onto the underlying hard mask layer and image transfer layer.
8. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling in an ion beam tool, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling in the ion beam tool, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer; wherein the forming a mask structure further comprises:
depositing a hard mask laver, an image transfer layer, and a photoresist layer;
photolithographically patterning the photoresist layer; and
performing an image transfer ion milling to transfer the image of the patterned photoresist layer onto the underlying hard mask layer and image transfer layer;
wherein the image transfer ion milling is performed in the ion milling tool.
9. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein the formation of the mask structure includes depositing an image transfer layer and performing an image transfer ion milling with the wafer being arranged so that a normal to the surface of the wafer is substantially parallel with an ion beam column used to perform the ion milling.
10. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material, the mask structure including an alumina hard mask;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer.
11. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer.
12. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein the formation of the mask structure comprises depositing a hard mask, depositing an image transfer layer and forming a photoresist mask and performing an image transfer layer ion milling to transfer the image of the photoresist mask onto the hard mask and the image transfer layer, the hard mask layer comprises alumina, the image transfer layer comprises a soluble polyimide, and the image transfer ion milling being performed in an ion milling tool with the wafer being arranged such that a normal to a surface of the wafer is substantially parallel with the ion beam column.
13. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic data recording, comprising:
providing a substrate formed on a wafer;
depositing a magnetic write pole material on the substrate;
forming a mask structure over the magnetic write pole material;
performing first ion milling, the first ion milling being performed at an angle relative to a normal to a surface of the wafer;
after performing the first ion milling, performing a second ion milling, the second ion milling being performed at a larger angle relative to the normal to the surface of the wafer, and being performed while moving the wafer laterally in a linear direction without rotating the wafer;
wherein the second ion milling is performed so as to form a write pole having first and second sides having a taper angle of about 10 degrees.