Method for utilizing an electronic lapping guide for a beveled pole in a magnetic recording transducer
View Patent ↗A method for providing at least one transducer including magnetic structure and having an air-bearing surface (ABS) are described. The method includes providing a lapping electronic lapping guide (lapping ELG) and a targeting ELG. The lapping ELG and targeting ELG each are coplanar with the desired thickness of the magnetic structure and have a back edge at the distance from the ABS such that the ELG back edges are substantially aligned with the flare point. The targeting ELG has a front edge at a front edge distance from the ABS corresponding to an intersection of the bevel and the desired thickness. The method further includes lapping the transducer and terminating the lapping based on a first resistance of the lapping ELG and a second resistance of the targeting ELG.
1. A method for providing at least one transducer including a magnetic structure and having an air-bearing surface (ABS), the magnetic structure having a desired thickness, a bevel, and a flare point a distance from the ABS, the method comprising:
providing a lapping electronic lapping guide (lapping ELG) substantially coplanar with the desired thickness of the magnetic structure and having a lapping ELG back edge at the distance from the ABS such that the lapping ELG back edge is substantially aligned with the flare point;
providing a targeting electronic lapping guide (targeting ELG) substantially coplanar with the desired thickness of the magnetic structure and having a targeting ELG back edge and a targeting ELG front edge, the targeting ELG back edge at the distance from the ABS such that the targeting ELG back edge is substantially aligned with the flare point, the targeting ELG front edge at a front edge distance from the ABS corresponding to an intersection of the bevel and the desired thickness;
lapping the transducer; and
terminating the lapping based on a first resistance of the lapping ELG and a second resistance of the targeting ELG.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic structure is a pole having the bevel and a plurality of sides, the plurality of sides having a reverse angle.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing a resistive sheet substantially coplanar with the desired thickness, the lapping ELG and the targeting ELG being formed from the resistive sheet.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing the lapping ELG includes:
defining the lapping ELG back edge from the resistive sheet.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of providing the targeting ELG includes:
defining the targeting ELG back edge from the resistive sheet.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of defining the lapping ELG back edge and the step of defining the targeting ELG back edge are performed using a single mask.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the targeting ELG further includes:
forming the front edge and the bevel using a single processing step.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the single processing step includes an ion mill.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the targeting ELG and the lapping ELG includes at least one of Cr, Ru, Ta, and NiCr.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of terminating the lapping further includes:
measuring the first resistance of the lapping ELG during the lapping step;
measuring the second resistance of the targeting ELG during the lapping step;
calculating a lapping ELG resistance target based on the second resistance;
comparing the first resistance to the lapping ELG resistance target; and
terminating the lapping based on the comparing step.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of terminating the lapping further includes:
pre-measuring the second resistance of the targeting ELG prior to the lapping step;
calculating a lapping ELG resistance target based on the second resistance;
measuring the first resistance of the lapping ELG during the lapping step;
comparing the first resistance to the lapping ELG resistance target; and
terminating the lapping based on the comparing step.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one transducer corresponds to the targeting ELG and the lapping ELG.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the at least one transducer corresponds to the targeting ELG and the lapping ELG.
14. A method for providing at least one transducer including magnetic structure and having an air-bearing surface (ABS), the magnetic structure having a desired thickness, a bevel, a flare point a first distance from the ABS, and a plurality of sides, the plurality of sides having a reverse angle, the method comprising:
providing a resistive sheet substantially coplanar with the desired thickness, the resistance sheet for forming a lapping electronic lapping guide (lapping ELG) and a targeting electronic lapping guide (targeting ELG) being formed from the resistive sheet;
defining a lapping ELG back edge of the lapping ELG and a targeting ELG back edge of the targeting ELG at the first distance from the ABS using a first mask such that the lapping ELG back edge and the targeting ELG back edge are each substantially aligned with the flare point;
forming the bevel and a front edge of the targeting ELG using a second mask such that the front edge is a second distance from the ABS corresponding to an intersection of the bevel and the desired thickness;
lapping the transducer;
measuring a first resistance of the lapping ELG during the lapping step;
measuring a second resistance of the targeting ELG;
calculating a lapping ELG resistance target based on the second resistance;
comparing the first resistance to the lapping ELG resistance target; and
terminating the lapping based on the comparing step.