Method of fabricating a device having a sidegap
View Patent ↗A method in one approach includes forming a first layer of a nonmagnetic material over two sides of a structure, the first layer being substantially absent from above a top of the structure; depositing an overlayer of an etchable, nonmagnetic material over the first layer and the top of the structure; and etching the overlayer for substantially removing the overlayer from above the top of the structure, wherein a substantial portion of the overlayer remains along the two sides of the structure after the etching. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
1. A method, comprising:
forming a first layer of a nonmagnetic material over two sides of a structure;
depositing an overlayer of an etchable or millable, nonmagnetic material over the first layer and a top of the structure, the first layer being substantially absent from above the top of the structure prior to deposition of the overlayer; and
etching or milling the overlayer for substantially removing the overlayer from above the top of the structure,
wherein a substantial portion of the overlayer remains along the two sides of the structure after the etching or milling,
wherein at least a portion of the top of the structure includes a hardmask layer and is exposed after the etching or milling.
2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first layer is formed using atomic layer deposition, the first layer forming part of a gap adjacent the structure, the structure including a magnetic write pole.
3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the overlayer is deposited by at least one of: ion beam deposition, plasma vapor deposition, sputtering, and photochemical deposition.
4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the overlayer is of the etchable material, the etchable material being selected from a group consisting of Ta, TaO, Ta 2 O 5 , SiC, and Al 2 O 3 .
5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the structure is a magnetic pole, wherein the overlayer is deposited directly on the first layer.
6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a thickness of the first layer to a thickness of the overlayer is less than about 5:1.
7. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising depositing an etch stop layer over the structure and prior to forming the overlayer.
8. A method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the etch stop layer is deposited over the structure prior to forming the first layer and the overlayer.
9. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising forming a cap layer above the top of the structure.
10. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising forming a seed layer over the overlayer.
11. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising forming a wrap around shield over the overlayer.
12. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hardmask layer is being used as at least one of an etch stop layer and an end point detection layer during the etching.
13. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the millable material is deposited by at least one of: ion beam deposition, plasma vapor deposition, sputtering, and photochemical deposition.
14. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hardmask layer is being used as at least one of an etch stop layer and an end point detection layer during the etching, wherein the first layer is formed using atomic layer deposition, wherein the overlayer is deposited by at least one of: ion beam deposition, plasma vapor deposition, sputtering, and photochemical deposition; the first layer and the overlayer forming at least a portion of a gap adjacent the structure, the structure including a magnetic write pole; further comprising forming a seed layer over the overlayer; and forming a wrap around shield over the seed layer by electrical plating.
15. A method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the overlayer is deposited directly on the first layer.
16. A method, comprising:
forming a first layer of a nonmagnetic material over two sides of a structure;
depositing an overlayer of an etchable or millable, nonmagnetic material over the first layer and a top of the structure, the first layer being substantially absent from above the top of the structure prior to deposition of the overlayer; and
etching or milling the overlayer for substantially removing the overlayer from above the top of the structure,
wherein a substantial portion of the overlayer remains along the two sides of the structure after the etching or milling,
wherein at least a portion of the top of the structure is exposed after the etching or milling; and
forming an etch stop layer in direct contact with the top of the structure after the etching or milling.