Submicron-trackwidth inductive/MR composite head

• Published in: IEEE transactions on magnetics Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 4678 - 4683
• Main Authors: Takano, H., Fukuoka, H., Suzuki, M., Shiiki, K., Kitada, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.11.1991; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Current density; Disk recording; Electronics; Etching; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency response; Ion beams; Magnetic heads; Magnetic sensors; Magnetoresistance; Miscellaneous; Pulse measurements; Saturation magnetization; Storage and reproduction of information; Magnetoresistive device; Manufacturing process; Submicrometer; Recording density; Ion beam etching; Magnetic head; Experimental study; Magnetic recording
• ISSN: 0018-9464; 1941-0069
• DOI: 10.1109/20.278914

To explore the possibility for ultra-high areal density recording, submicron-trackwidth inductive-write/magnetoresistive-(MR)-read composite heads were fabricated. The focused ion beam etching technique was applied to fabricate a approximately 1- mu m-wide write-track completely aligned to the read-region of the MR sensor. The write head using multilayered Fe-based alloy pole pieces with a saturation magnetization of 2.0 T revealed sufficient writability and excellent frequency response. A shunt-biased MR sensor having a narrow gap-length operated at a high current density over 3*10/sup 7/ A/cm/sup 2/ is developed to reproduce a sufficient signal amplitude at high linear-density regions. Recording tests were carried out on a thin-film medium with a head-medium clearance of 0.05 mu m. The output voltage per micron of trackwidth over 400 mu V with symmetrical pulses, and a -6-dB rolloff density of around 90 kFCI were measured. The design procedure, fabrication method, and recording performances of the submicron-trackwidth inductive/MR composite heads which can attain 2 gigabits recording are discussed.< >