Method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic write head with a wrap around shield
View Patent ↗A method for manufacturing a write pole for a perpendicular magnetic write head. The method employs a damascene process to construct the write pole with a very accurately controlled track width. The method includes depositing a layer of material that can be readily removed by reactive ion etching. This material can be referred to as a RIEable material. A mask is formed over the RIEable material and a reactive ion etching is performed to form a tapered trench in the RIEAble material. A CMP stop layer can the be deposited, and a write pole plated into the trench. A CMP can then be performed to define the trailing edge of the write pole. Another masking, etching and plating step can be performed to form a trailing, wrap-around magnetic shield.
1. A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head, comprising:
providing a substrate;
depositing a material that can be removed by reactive ion etching (RIEable material);
forming a first mask structure over the RIEable material, the first mask structure having an opening configured to define a write pole;
performing a reactive ion etching to remove portions of the RIEable material that are not protected by the first mask structure;
depositing a layer of material that is resistant to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP stop layer);
depositing a first magnetic material into the trench formed in the RIEable material to provide a write pole material;
performing a chemical mechanical polishing to define a write pole and a trailing edge of the write pole;
forming a second mask structure, the second mask structure covering an area over the write pole;
performing a material removal process to remove portions of the RIEable layer that are not protected by the second mask structure;
removing the second mask structure;
depositing a non-magnetic gap layer; and
depositing a second magnetic material to form a magnetic shield.
2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the reactive ion etching is performed so as to form tapered side walls in the trench.
3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the reactive ion etching is performed with chemistries including Chlorine, Fluorine or Argon and with process conditions chosen to form tapered side walls in the trench.
4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the second material removal process is a second reactive ion etching.
5. The method as in claim 1 wherein second material removal process comprises reactive ion milling.
6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the CMP stop layer is an electrically conductive material.
7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the CMP stop layer comprises an electrically conductive material and wherein the depositing a first magnetic material comprises electroplating.
8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the CMP stop layer comprises Rh.
9. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first CMP stop layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Rh, Ru, Ir and Cr,
10. The method as in claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic gap layer is an electrically conductive material.
11. The method as in claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic gap layer is an electrically conductive material and the depositing a second magnetic material comprises electroplating a magnetic material.
12. The method as in claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic gap layer comprises Rh.
13. The method as in claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic gap layer comprises Rh and the depositing a second magnetic material comprises electroplating.
14. The method as in claim 1 wherein the non-magnetic gap layer comprises Rh and the depositing a second magnetic material comprises forming a third mask configured as a plating frame having an opening configured to define a trailing wrap-around shield and electroplating the second magnetic material into the opening in the third mask structure.
15. The method as in 1 claim wherein the first magnetic material comprises CoFe or NiFe.
16. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first magnetic material is deposited at least to the depth of the trench formed in the RIEable material.
17. The method as in claim 1 wherein the chemical mechanical polishing process is performed until the CMP stop layer has been reached.
18. The method as in claim 1 wherein the chemical mechanical polishing process is performed sufficiently to form a write pole with a trailing edge that is coplanar with a surface of the CMP stop layer.
19. The method as in claim 1 wherein the RIEable material is a non-magnetic material.
20. The method as in claim 1 wherein the RIEable material is a material selected from the list consisting of, alumina, SiC, SiO x , Ta and TaO x .