Systems and methods for shaping leads of electronic lapping guides to reduce calibration error

1. A device configured to generate predictable resistance for leads of an electronic lapping guide, the device comprising:

a lapping surface; and

an electronic lapping guide (ELG) configured to provide information indicative of a degree of lapping performed on the lapping surface, the ELG comprising:

a first electrical lead;

a second electrical lead spaced apart from the first electrical lead; and

a resistive element coupled between the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the resistive element comprising a preselected shape including a right segment, a left segment, and a middle segment that abuts a bottom portion of each of the right segment and the left segment, wherein the right segment is spaced apart from the left segment and the middle segment is disposed adjacent to the lapping surface, wherein a resistance of the first lead and a resistance of the second lead is less than a resistance of the resistive element;

wherein the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead are positioned further from the lapping surface than the middle segment of the resistive element.

2. The device of claim 1 :

wherein the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead are positioned further from the lapping surface than a top edge the middle segment of the resistive element; and

wherein the first electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the left segment and the second electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the right segment.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the preselected shape is selected from the group consisting of a U-shape where the middle segment is substantially perpendicular to either of the right segment or the left segment and a bucket-shape where an angle between the middle segment and either of the right segment or the left segment is greater than or less than 90 degrees.

4. The device of claim 1 :

wherein the first electrical lead comprises a preselected shape configured to minimize a variation in a resistance of a portion of the left segment of the resistive element between the first electrical lead and the middle segment of the resistive element during fabrication of the resistive element; and

wherein the second electrical lead comprises a preselected shape configured to minimize a variation in a resistance of a portion of the right segment of the resistive element between the second electrical lead and the middle segment of the resistive element during fabrication of the resistive element.

5. The device of claim 4 :

wherein the first electrical lead comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangular shape and a trapezoidal shape; and

wherein the second electrical lead comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangular shape and a trapezoidal shape.

6. The device of claim 4 :

wherein the resistance of the portion of the left segment is equal to a predictable multiple of a sheet resistance of the resistive element; and

wherein the resistance of the portion of the right segment is equal to a predictable multiple of the sheet resistance of the resistive element.

7. The device of claim 4 :

wherein the resistance of the portion of the left segment is substantially constant with a stripe height of the resistive element; and

wherein the resistance of the portion of the right segment is substantially constant with a stripe height of the resistive element.

8. The device of claim 1 :

wherein the first electrical lead is disposed on an internal layer of the device;

wherein the ELG comprises a first pad on an outer surface of the device and a first via coupling the first pad to the first electrical lead;

wherein the second electrical lead is disposed on the internal layer of the device; and

wherein the ELG comprises a second pad on the outer surface of the device and a second via coupling the second pad to the second electrical lead.

9. The device of claim 1 :

wherein the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead each comprise a material selected from the group consisting of Ta, Au, Ru, Cu, Al, Pt and combinations thereof; and

wherein the resistive element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ru, Ta, Au and combinations thereof.

10. The device of claim 1 :

wherein the first electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the left segment and the second electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the right segment;

wherein a distance of the first electrical lead to the lapping surface is substantially greater than a distance of the middle segment to the lapping surface; and

wherein a distance of the second electrical lead to the lapping surface is substantially greater than a distance of the middle segment to the lapping surface.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the preselected shape is selected from the group consisting of a V-shape where the middle segment is substantially perpendicular to either of the right segment or the left segment and a bucket-shape where an angle between the middle segment and either of the right segment or the left segment is greater than or less than 90 degrees.

12. The device of claim 1 :

wherein each of the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead comprises a rectangular shape having a width substantially parallel to the lapping surface and a height; and

wherein the width of either the first electrical lead or the second electrical lead is greater than a tolerance of a fabrication process for the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead.

13. The device of claim 1 :

wherein a distance of the first electrical lead to the lapping surface is greater than a tolerance of a fabrication process for the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead; and

wherein a distance of the second electrical lead to the lapping surface is greater than a tolerance of a fabrication process for the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead.

14. The device of claim 1 :

wherein a resistance of the ELG (RELG) is determined according to the formula:

R

ELG

=

R

L

+

TW

E

·

R

SE

SH

E

+

K

·

R

SE

where R L is a resistance of both the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, TW E is a track width of the middle segment, SH E is a stripe height of the middle segment, R SE is a sheet resistance of the resistive element, and K is a preselected constant determined based on a shape and a size of each of the first electrical lead, the left segment of the resistive element, the second electrical lead, and the right segment of the resistive element.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a magnetic head proximate the ELG and is a component selected from the group consisting of a magnetic reader and a magnetic writer.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the magnetic head has an initial stripe height to be reduced by a lapping process to a desired stripe height, and wherein the middle segment of the resistive element is configured to be lapped during the lapping process.

17. A method for generating predictable resistance for leads of an electronic lapping guide, the method comprising:

providing a device comprising:

a lapping surface; and

an electronic lapping guide (ELG) configured to provide information indicative of a degree of lapping performed on the lapping surface, the ELG comprising:

a first electrical lead;

a second electrical lead spaced apart from the first electrical lead; and

a resistive element coupled between the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the resistive element comprising a preselected shape including a right segment, a left segment, and a middle segment that abuts a bottom portion of each of the right segment and the left segment, wherein the right segment is spaced apart from the left segment and the middle segment is disposed adjacent to the lapping surface and wherein a resistance of the first and second leads is less than a resistance of the resistive element;

wherein the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead are positioned further from the lapping surface than the middle segment of the resistive element;

lapping the lapping surface of the device;

measuring a resistance of the ELG during the lapping of the lapping surface of the device; and

controlling a degree of the lapping of the lapping surface of the device based on the measured resistance of the ELG and a calculated resistance of the ELG.

18. The method of claim 17 :

wherein the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead are positioned further from the lapping surface than a top edge the middle segment of the resistive element; and

wherein the first electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the left segment and the second electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the right segment.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the preselected shape is selected from the group consisting of a U-shape where the middle segment is substantially perpendicular to either of the right segment or the left segment and a bucket-shape where an angle between the middle segment and either of the right segment or the left segment is greater than or less than 90 degrees.

20. The method of claim 17 :

wherein the first electrical lead comprises a preselected shape configured to minimize a variation in a resistance of a portion of the left segment of the resistive element between the first electrical lead and the middle segment of the resistive element during fabrication of the resistive element; and

wherein the second electrical lead comprises a preselected shape configured to minimize a variation in a resistance of a portion of the right segment of the resistive element between the second electrical lead and the middle segment of the resistive element during fabrication of the resistive element.

21. The method of claim 20 :

wherein the first electrical lead comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangular shape and a trapezoidal shape; and

wherein the second electrical lead comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangular shape and a trapezoidal shape.

22. The method of claim 20 :

wherein the resistance of the portion of the left segment is equal to a predictable multiple of a sheet resistance of the resistive element; and

wherein the resistance of the portion of the right segment is equal to a predictable multiple of the sheet resistance of the resistive element.

23. The method of claim 20 :

wherein the resistance of the portion of the left segment is substantially constant with a stripe height of the resistive element; and

wherein the resistance of the portion of the right segment is substantially constant with a stripe height of the resistive element.

24. The method of claim 17 :

wherein the first electrical lead is disposed on an internal layer of the device;

wherein the ELG comprises a first pad on an outer surface of the device and a first via coupling the first pad to the first electrical lead;

wherein the second electrical lead is disposed on the internal layer of the device; and

wherein the ELG comprises a second pad on the outer surface of the device and a second via coupling the second pad to the second electrical lead.

25. The method of claim 17 :

wherein the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead each comprise a material selected from the group consisting of Ta, Au, Ru, Cu, Al, Pt and combinations thereof; and

wherein the resistive element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ru, Ta, Au and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 17 :

wherein the first electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the left segment and the second electrical lead is coupled to an upper portion of the right segment;

wherein a distance of the first electrical lead to the lapping surface is substantially greater than a distance of the middle segment to the lapping surface; and

wherein a distance of the second electrical lead to the lapping surface is substantially greater than a distance of the middle segment to the lapping surface.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the preselected shape is selected from the group consisting of a U-shape where the middle segment is substantially perpendicular to either of the right segment or the left segment and a bucket-shape where an angle between the middle segment and either of the right segment or the left segment is greater than or less than 90 degrees.

28. The method of claim 17 :

wherein each of the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead comprises a rectangular shape having a width substantially parallel to the lapping surface and a height; and

wherein the width of either the first electrical lead or the second electrical lead is greater than a tolerance of a fabrication process for the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead.

29. The method of claim 17 :

wherein a distance of the first electrical lead to the lapping surface is greater than a tolerance of a fabrication process for the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead; and

wherein a distance of the second electrical lead to the lapping surface is greater than a tolerance of a fabrication process for the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead.

30. The method of claim 17 ,

wherein a resistance of the ELG (RELG) is determined according to the formula:

R

ELG

=

R

L

+

TW

E

·

R

SE

SH

E

+

K

·

R

SE

where R L is a resistance of both the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, TW E is a track width of the middle segment, SH E is a stripe height of the middle segment, R SE is a sheet resistance of the resistive element, and K is a preselected constant determined based on a shape and a size of each of the first electrical lead, the left segment of the resistive element, the second electrical lead, and the right segment of the resistive element.

31. The method of claim 17 , wherein the device further comprises a magnetic head proximate the ELG and is a component selected from the group consisting of a magnetic reader and a magnetic writer.

32. The method of claim 17 , wherein the magnetic head has an initial stripe height to be reduced by a lapping process to a desired stripe height, and wherein the middle segment of the resistive element is configured to be lapped during the lapping process.

33. The method of claim 17 ,

wherein the calculated resistance is based on:

a resistance of a portion of the left segment of the resistive element between the first electrical lead and the middle segment of the resistive element;

a resistance of a portion of the right segment of the resistive element between the second electrical lead and the middle segment of the resistive element; and

a resistance of the middle segment of the resistive element.

34. A device configured to generate predictable resistance for leads of an electronic lapping guide, the device comprising:

a lapping surface; and

an electronic lapping guide (ELG) configured to provide information indicative of a degree of lapping performed on the lapping surface, the ELG comprising:

a first electrical lead on a first layer;

a second electrical lead spaced apart from the first electrical lead on the first layer; and

a resistive element coupled between the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead on a second layer spaced apart from the first layer, the resistive element comprising a preselected shape including a right segment, a left segment, and a middle segment that abuts a bottom portion of each of the right segment and the left segment, wherein the right segment is spaced apart from the left segment and the middle segment is disposed adjacent to the lapping surface;

wherein the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead are positioned further from the lapping surface than the middle segment of the resistive element.

35. The device of claim 34 , wherein a resistance of the first lead is less than a resistance of the resistive element and a resistance of the second lead is less than the resistance of the resistive element.