IP Library Granted Patent US 9,361,916
Granted Patent B1
US 9,361,916 · App. 14/287,586 · Granted Jun 7, 2016

Electrical lapping guide for dimensional control of back side of heat assisted magnetic recording device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,361,916
App. No.
14/287,586
Granted
Jun 7, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

A slider bar apparatus, and a method for lapping a back side surface of the slider bar, is provided. The slider bar includes a head part and a pair of sliders separated by the head part. Each of the sliders has an air bearing surface (ABS) and a back side surface opposite the ABS. Each of the sliders has a reader element and a writer element of a magnetic head for use in a magnetic hard disk drive. An electrical lapping guide is mounted on the back side surface and has a pair of terminals and a conductive material extending between the terminals. The conductive material is arranged on the slider bar such that the resistance between the terminals increases during a lapping of the back side of the sliders.

Claims (25)

1. A slider bar, comprising:

a head part;

a pair of sliders separated by the head part, each of the sliders having an air bearing surface (ABS) and a back side surface opposite the ABS, each of the sliders comprising a reader element and a writer element exposed to the ABS for use in a magnetic hard disk drive; and

an electrical lapping guide having a pair of terminals and a conductive material extending between the terminals, the conductive material being arranged on the slider bar such that the resistance between the terminals increases during a lapping of the back side of the sliders.

2. The slider bar of claim 1 , wherein the head part comprises the at least one electrical lapping guide.

3. The slider bar of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sliders comprises the electrical lapping guide.

4. The slider bar of claim 1 , wherein the electrical lapping guide is configured to trigger the termination of the lapping when all the conductive material is removed.

5. The slider bar of claim 1 , wherein the electrical lapping guide is further configured to trigger the termination of the lapping when the conductive material remaining during the removal of the conductive material reaches a resistance threshold according to a measurement during the lapping.

6. The slider bar of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate configured to be connected to ground, wherein the head part further comprises a bond pad, and wherein a first one of the terminals is connected to the bond pad.

7. The slider bar of claim 6 , wherein the head part further comprises a second bond pad, and wherein the first one of the terminals is connected to the second bond pad.

8. The slider bar of claim 1 , wherein the electrical lapping guide further comprises a resistor in parallel with the conductive material.

9. A method for lapping a slider bar, the slider bar having a head part and a pair of sliders separated by the head part, each of the sliders having an air bearing surface (ABS) and a back side surface opposite the ABS, each of the sliders comprising a reader element and a writer element exposed to the ABS for use in a magnetic hard disk drive, the method comprising:

cutting a slider bar from a wafer; and

lapping the back side of each of the sliders while measuring resistance across an electrical lapping guide on the slider bar, the electrical lapping guide having a pair of terminals and a conductive material extending between the terminals, the conductive material being arranged on the slider bar such that the resistance between the terminals increases during a lapping of the back side of the sliders.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the head part comprises the electrical lapping guide.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the sliders comprise the electrical lapping guide.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising terminating the lapping when all the conductive material is removed.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising terminating the lapping when the measured resistance reaches a resistance threshold.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the head part further comprises a bond pad, further comprising connecting a first one of the terminals to the bond pad.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the head part further comprises a second bond pad, further comprising connecting the second one of the terminals to the second bond pad.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrical lapping guide further comprises a resistor in parallel with the conductive material.

17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising connecting a resistor in parallel with the conductive material of the electrical lapping guide.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

mounting a laser on the back side surface of each of the sliders after the lapping is completed.

19. The slider bar of claim 1 , further comprising a waveguide section, wherein the electrical lapping guide controls the height of the back side of the sliders, and the back side of the sliders is configured for coupling the waveguide section to a laser diode.

Assignments (9)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 038710 FRAME 0845 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC; WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0445 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2019
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 050450/0582 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
Reel/Frame 045501/0158 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0755 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0675 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038710/0845 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2015
From: CHUNG, LUC VING; RUDY, STEVEN C.; AMIN, NURUL
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
Reel/Frame 037048/0345 →