Granted Patent B1

US 9,343,087 · App. 14/578,449 · Granted May 17, 2016

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A method for fabricating magnetic write apparatus having air-bearing surface (ABS) location comprising:

providing an intermediate layer including a plurality of sublayers, the plurality of sublayers including a first nonmagnetic layer, an etch stop layer and a second nonmagnetic layer, the etch stop layer being between the first nonmagnetic layer and the second nonmagnetic layer;

forming a trench in the intermediate layer using at least one etch, the trench having a location and profile corresponding to a main pole;

providing the main pole in the trench, the main pole having a top and a bottom;

removing at least a portion of the second nonmagnetic layer using at least a second etch, the etch stop layer being resistant to the at least the second etch; and

providing a half side shield on at least a portion of the first nonmagnetic layer, a half side shield bottom of the half side shield being between the top and the bottom of the main pole.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first nonmagnetic layer consists of at least one nonmagnetic material, the second nonmagnetic layer consists of the at least one nonmagnetic material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one nonmagnetic material is reactive ion etchable and wet etchable.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one nonmagnetic material is aluminum oxide.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the main pole further includes:

providing the main pole having the bottom, the top wider than the bottom, a first side and a second side opposite to the first side.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a side gap layer before the step of providing the main pole, at least a portion of the side gap layer residing in the trench.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the etch stop layer after the step of removing the at least the portion of the second nonmagnetic layer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the etch stop layer is removable using an etch which does not remove the first nonmagnetic layer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the etch stop layer is at least one of a carbon layer, a Ta layer, and a silicon nitride layer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least the second etch is a wet etch of the at least the portion of the second nonmagnetic layer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the main pole further includes:

providing at least one main pole layer;

planarizing the at least one main pole layer a remaining portion of the at least one main pole layer having a bottom, a top wider than the bottom, a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; and

forming a trailing bevel in the main pole layer.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the intermediate layer further includes:

full-film depositing the first nonmagnetic layer;

full-film depositing the etch stop layer on the first nonmagnetic layer; and

full-film depositing the second nonmagnetic layer on the etch stop player.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the trench further includes:

forming a trench using a single etch.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the trench has a plurality of sidewalls extending through the first nonmagnetic layer, the second nonmagnetic layer and the etch stop layer, the sidewalls having substantially the same angle in the first nonmagnetic layer, the second nonmagnetic layer and the etch stop layer.

15. The method of claim 4 wherein the at least the second etch is a wet etch of the at least the portion of the second nonmagnetic layer.

16. A method for fabricating a magnetic transducer having air-bearing surface (ABS) location and an intermediate layer comprising:

full-film depositing a first nonmagnetic layer in at least a side shield region;

full-film depositing an etch stop layer on the first nonmagnetic layer in the at least the side shield region;

full-film depositing a second nonmagnetic on the etch stop layer in the at least the side shield region, the first nonmagnetic layer, the second nonmagnetic layer and the etch stop layer forming an intermediate layer, the first nonmagnetic layer consisting of at least one nonmagnetic material, the second nonmagnetic layer consisting of the at least one nonmagnetic material, the at least one nonmagnetic material being wet etchable and reactive ion etchable;

forming a trench in the intermediate layer using a reactive ion etch, the trench including a first portion in the first nonmagnetic layer, a second portion in the second nonmagnetic layer and a third portion in the etch stop layer, the first portion, the second portion and the third portion of the trench having a plurality of sidewalls with substantially sidewall angles;

depositing a seed layer, a portion of the seed layer residing in the trench;

depositing at least one main pole layer;

planarizing the at least one main pole layer;

providing a trailing bevel in a remaining portion of the main pole layer, thereby forming a main pole having a bottom, a top wider than the bottom, a first side and a second side opposite to the first side;

removing a portion of the second nonmagnetic in the side shield region using a wet etch, thereby exposing a portion of the etch stop layer in the side shield region;

removing the portion of the etch stop layer, thereby exposing an exposed portion of the first nonmagnetic layer in the side shield region; and

providing a half side shield on the exposed portion of the first nonmagnetic layer, a bottom of the half side shield being between the top and the bottom of the main pole.

Assignments (9)