Head for perpendicular magnetic recording with a self-aligning side shield structure

• Main Authors: WILLIAMS MASON L, ROBERTSON NEIL L, NIX JAMES L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.08.2007
• Subjects: GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INFORMATION STORAGE; INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORDCARRIER AND TRANSDUCER; PHYSICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

An embodiment of the invention is a method for fabricating a head for perpendicular recording with self-aligning side shields. The voids where the side shields will be formed are milled into the layer of material for the pole tip to achieve self-alignment. A mask is patterned with openings defining initial shape of the pole piece tip nearest the air-bearing surface including the width and the point at which the pole tip widens out. A film of soft magnetic material to form the side shields is deposited over the wafer. A chemical-mechanical-polishing process is preferably used to remove the mask and the material deposited on it. A new mask is patterned over the predetermined area for the final shape of the pole tip and the side shields. The excess side shield material and pole tip material outside of the mask is then removed.