Granted Patent B1

US 9,431,038 · App. 14/753,630 · Granted Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

Claims (39)

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

providing an intermediate including a first sublayer and a second sublayer in at least a main pole region, the first sublayer including the ABS location, the second sublayer recessed from the ABS location such that a portion of the first sublayer is between the second sublayer and the ABS location, the first sublayer having a rear surface at an angle of greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees from a surface perpendicular to the ABS location;

forming a trench in the intermediate layer, the trench having a bottom, a top and a plurality of sidewalls, the plurality of sidewalls forming a first angle with a direction perpendicular to the bottom at the ABS location, the plurality of sidewalls forming a second angle with the direction perpendicular to the bottom in a portion of the second sublayer, a sidewall angle between the plurality of sidewalls and the direction perpendicular to the bottom varying along the rear surface of the first sublayer, the second angle being smaller than the first angle; and

providing a main pole in the trench.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sidewall angle decreases smoothly along the rear surface of the first sublayer.

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

full-film depositing a first nonmagnetic layer;

removing a portion of the first nonmagnetic layer, a remaining portion of the first nonmagnetic layer forming the first sublayer having the rear surface; and

refilling a region occupied by the portion of the first nonmagnetic layer with the second sublayer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first sublayer include aluminum oxide and the second sublayer includes silicon oxide.

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

providing a mask having an aperture therein, the aperture having a shape and location corresponding to the trench;

performing a first etch, the first etch removing a portion of the second sublayer; and

performing a second etch, the second etch removing at least a portion of the first sublayer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first etch is performed before the second etch.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the second etch is performed before the first etch.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an underlayer under the first sublayer and the second sublayer of the intermediate layer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the underlayer and the second sublayer are formed of a particular material.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a write gap on the main pole; and

providing a trailing shield.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing at least one side shield.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the angle between the rear surface and the surface perpendicular to ABS location is at least fifty degrees and not more than eighty degrees.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the angle between the rear surface and the surface perpendicular to the ABS location is at least sixty degrees and not more than seventy degrees.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first angle is at least ten degrees and not more than twenty degrees and wherein the second angle is at least zero degrees and not more than five degrees.

15. A method for fabricating magnetic transducer having air-bearing surface (ABS) location comprising:

depositing a first silicon oxide layer;

depositing an aluminum oxide layer on the first silicon oxide layer;

providing a mask covering a first portion of the aluminum oxide layer, the first portion of the aluminum oxide layer including at least part of the ABS location;

ion milling a second portion of the aluminum oxide layer at a nonzero angle from the ABS location, a remaining portion of the aluminum oxide layer forming a first sublayer of an intermediate having a rear surface, the first sublayer including the at least the part of the ABS location, the rear surface being at an angle of at least sixty degrees and not more than seventy degrees from a surface perpendicular to the ABS location;

depositing a second silicon oxide layer on the first sublayer and an exposed portion of the first silicon oxide layer;

planarizing the second silicon oxide layer, a remaining portion of the second silicon oxide layer forming a second sublayer adjoining the first sublayer, at least a part of the first sublayer residing between the ABS location and the second sublayer;

providing a mask having an aperture therein, the aperture having a shape and location corresponding to a trench for a main pole;

performing a first etch, the first etch removing a portion of the second sublayer; and

performing a second etch, the second etch removing at least a portion of the first sublayer, the trench being formed by the first etch and the second etch, the trench having a bottom, a top and a plurality of sidewalls, the plurality of sidewalls forming a first angle with a direction perpendicular to the bottom at the ABS location, the first angle being at least ten degrees and not more than twenty degrees, the plurality of sidewalls forming a second angle with the direction perpendicular to the bottom in a portion of the second sublayer, the second angle being at least zero degrees and not more than five degrees, a sidewall angle between the plurality of sidewalls and the bottom varying along the rear surface of the first sublayer;

providing a main pole in the trench; and

providing at least one side shield.

Assignments (9)