Method for fabricating a magnetic write pole having a leading edge bevel

FIG. 1 depicts a conventional method 10 for fabricating a conventional magnetic recording head. FIGS. 2A-2E depict side (apex) views of a conventional transducer 50 during formation using the method 10 . An underlayer having a sloped surface at the air-bearing surface (ABS) location is provided, via step 12 . The ABS location is the area that will form the ABS once the slider has been lapped and fabrication is completed. Typically, this includes multiple deposition and etch or milling steps in order to provide the sloped surface. An etch stop layer is deposited on the underlayer, via step 14 . FIG. 2A depicts the conventional transducer 50 after step 14 has been provided. Thus, underlayer 52 has been provided. The underlayer 52 includes a leading shield 52 A. As can be seen in FIG. 2A , the upper surface of the leading shield 52 A is sloped at and near the ABS location. An etch stop layer 54 has also been provided.

The aluminum oxide intermediate layer is conformally deposited, via step 16 . FIG. 2B depicts the conventional transducer 50 after step 16 has been performed. Thus, the intermediate layer 56 has been provided. The top and bottom of the intermediate layer follow the slope in the etch stop layer 54 and underlayer 52 . However, a flat top surface is desired to improve photolithography. Thus, the intermediate layer 56 is planarized, via step 18 . FIG. 2C depicts the transducer 50 after step 18 has been performed. The top surface of the intermediate layer 56 ′ is now flat, while the bottom surface remains sloped.

A trench has also been formed in the intermediate layer, for example using an aluminum oxide reactive ion etch (RIE), via step 20 . Step 20 typically includes providing a mask having an aperture over the portions of the intermediate layer that are desired to be removed. The RIE is performed in the presence of the mask. The RIE proceeds until the etch stop layer 54 is reached. Thus, FIG. 2D depicts an apex view of the transducer after step 20 is performed. At this location, therefore, the intermediate layer 56 has been removed and the etch stop layer 54 exposed. However, in other regions, some or all of the intermediate layer 56 ′ remains.

A nonmagnetic seed layer for electroplating is provided, via step 22 . For example Ru or another conductive material may be deposited via chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sputtering, or some other method. The main pole is then provided, via step 24 . Step 24 typically includes plating high saturation magnetization pole materials, planarizing these material(s) using a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) and forming a trailing (top) bevel, if any. For example, CoFe may be plated in step 12 . Because of the profiles of the underlayer 52 , etch stop layer 54 , the intermediate layer 56 and trench, a leading edge bevel may be formed in the electroplated materials. FIG. 2E depicts the transducer 50 after step 24 is performed. Thus, the pole 60 has been fabricated. In this embodiment, a trailing edge bevel may, or may not, be formed. The pole 60 is shown without a trailing edge bevel. However, the pole has a leading bevel 62 due to the slopes of the leading shield 52 A, etch stop layer 54 , intermediate layer 56 ′ (not shown in FIG. 2E ) and trench on which the pole 60 is formed.

Although the conventional magnetic recording head 50 formed using the method 10 functions, there are drawbacks. For example, formation of the leading bevel 62 may require multiple process steps. Fabrication times for the conventional transducer 50 may thus be longer. Yield for the method 10 may also be lower than desired. In addition, variations in the fabrication process may result in poorer performance of the conventional transducer 50 . For example, the sidewalls of the pole 60 may have a different shape (angle) or location than designed. Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for improving the performance of a magnetic recording head and manufacturing yield.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart depicting a conventional method for fabricating a pole in a magnetic recording transducer.

FIGS. 2A-2E depicts apex views of a conventional magnetic recording head during fabrication.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method for providing a magnetic recording transducer.

FIGS. 4A-4G depict an exemplary embodiment of a magnetic recording disk drive during fabrication.

FIG. 5 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a method for providing a magnetic recording transducer.

FIGS. 6A-6B through 13A-13B depict side (apex) an ABS views of an exemplary embodiment of a magnetic recording transducer during fabrication.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method 100 for providing a magnetic recording transducer. For simplicity, some steps may be omitted, interleaved, combined, have multiple substeps and/or performed in another order unless otherwise specified. FIGS. 4A-4E depict an exemplary embodiment of a transducer 200 during fabrication using the method 100 . Referring to FIGS. 3-4E , the method 100 is described in the context of providing a magnetic recording disk drive and transducer 200 . The method 100 may be used to fabricate multiple magnetic recording heads at substantially the same time. The method 100 may also be used to fabricate other magnetic recording transducers. The method 100 is also described in the context of particular layers. A particular layer may include multiple materials and/or multiple sub-layers. The method 100 also may start after formation of other portions of the magnetic recording transducer. For example, the method 100 may start after a read transducer, return pole/shield and/or other structure have been fabricated. For example, the method 100 may start after the underlying structures, including an underlayer, have been provided. The underlayer may include a leading shield. An etch stop layer may also have been provided. Both the underlayer and etch stop layer may be substantially flat. In other words, the top surfaces of the underlayer and etch stop layer may be substantially perpendicular to the ABS location.

An intermediate layer is provided on the underlayer, via step 102 . In some embodiments, the intermediate layer is also on the etch stop layer discussed above. The bottom (leading) surface of the intermediate layer is substantially flat because the underlayer is substantially flat. This geometry may be obtained simply by depositing the intermediate layer on the underlying topology. No additional processing of the intermediate layer may be required. FIG. 4A depicts an apex view of the transducer 200 after step 102 is performed. Thus, the underlayer 202 and intermediate layer 204 are shown. The intermediate layer 204 may be aluminum oxide or another wet etchable and/or reactive ion etchable (RIEable) layer. Also shown is the ABS location. As can be seen in FIG. 4A , the bottom and top of the intermediate layer 204 are perpendicular to the ABS location. The intermediate layer 204 has bottom and top surfaces that are substantially parallel to the stripe height direction. Thus, the bottom and top surfaces of the intermediate layer are substantially flat.

A trench is formed in the intermediate layer, via step 104 . In some embodiments, step 102 includes performing one or more reactive ion etches (RIEs). The trench has a shape and location that corresponds to a main pole. FIG. 4B depicts an apex view and a plan view of the transducer 200 after step 104 is performed. A trench 206 has thus been formed. Because the apex location is shown, most of the intermediate layer has been removed. Only a small portion 204 ′ of the intermediate layer remains. Because the shape of the trench 206 corresponds to that of the main pole, the top of the trench 206 may be wider than the bottom in the cross-track direction (perpendicular to the plane of the page in FIG. 4B ). In addition, the trench 207 has a pole tip portion 207 at and near the ABS location and a yoke region 205 recessed from the ABS location. The pole tip portion 207 of the trench is narrower in the cross-track direction than the yoke region 205 . Consequently, the depth of the trench varies. In particular, the depth of the trench 206 increases where the trench is wider (in the yoke region), while the sidewalls angles of the trench do not vary significantly. The depth of the trench 206 is in the down track direction. At the ABS location, a portion of the intermediate layer 204 ′ remains. Further into the pole tip region 207 , recessed from the ABS location, the intermediate layer 204 ′ thins. In the yoke region 205 of the trench 206 , the intermediate layer 204 ′ has been completely removed. Thus, the bottom of the trench 206 is formed by part of the intermediate layer 204 ′ in at least the ABS location. In the yoke region 205 , however, the bottom of the trench 206 is formed by another layer, such as the underlayer 202 or an etch stop layer (not shown). In other words, the etch performed in step 104 terminates within the intermediate layer 204 at the ABS location and at least part of the pole tip region 207 . In contrast, the etch performed in step 104 terminates on a layer under the intermediate layer 204 in the yoke region 205 . Further, in some embodiments, the depth of the trench increases monotonically in the pole tip region 207 . In the embodiment shown, the depth increases smoothly and linearly. However, in another embodiment, the trench depth may increase in another manner.

A nonmagnetic seed layer is deposited, via step 106 . For example, step 106 may include depositing a Ru layer using CVD or another conformal deposition method. FIG. 4C depicts an apex view of the transducer 200 after step 106 is performed. Thus, a nonmagnetic seed layer 208 is shown. The nonmagnetic layer 208 resides at least in the trench 206 . The nonmagnetic layer fills a portion of the trench in the pole tip region 207 faster than in the yoke region 205 . This is not only because of the presence of the intermediate layer 204 ′ but also because the trench 206 is narrower in the pole tip region 207 . Thus, a remaining portion of the trench 206 ′ is shallower at the ABS location than in the yoke region 205 . Stated differently, if the thickness of the nonmagnetic layer 208 is t in the yoke region 205 , then the remaining portion of the trench 206 ′ is shallower by greater than t at the ABS location. The remaining, open portion of the trench 206 ′ monotonically increases in depth. In the embodiment shown, the depth of the remaining portion of the trench 206 ′ increases smoothly and linearly. However, in another embodiment, the trench depth may increase in another manner.

A main pole is provided in the trench, via step 108 . In some embodiments, step 108 may include electroplating one or more layers. Other deposition methods may be used in addition to or in lieu of plating. The main pole material(s) have a high saturation magnetization and thus may include material(s) such as CoFe. Step 108 may also include forming a trailing bevel. FIG. 4D depicts an apex view of the transducer 200 after fabrication of the main pole 210 . Thus, the main pole 210 includes a pole tip portion 212 and a yoke portion 211 . The main pole 210 also has a leading bevel 213 .

Fabrication of the transducer may then be completed, via step 110 . For example, coils, shields, contacts, insulating structures and other components may be provided. In addition, the slider may be lapped and otherwise completed. FIGS. 4E, 4F and 4G depict an apex view of the transducer 200 , an ABS view of the transducer 200 and a side view of a disk drive including the transducer 200 . Thus, a media 201 , shield 230 and coils 240 are shown. As can be seen in FIG. 4E , a trailing bevel 214 has been fabricated in the pole tip region 212 (not labeled in FIG. 4E ). Note that although a PMR transducer 200 is shown, in other embodiments, the method 100 may be used in fabricating a pole for a heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) or other write transducer.

Using the method 100 , a magnetic transducer having improved performance may be fabricated. The method 100 forms the leading bevel 213 without complicated processing steps. Instead, the shape of the trench 206 , intermediate layer 204 ′ and nonmagnetic layer 208 naturally result in formation of the leading bevel 213 . Reduction in complexity of formation in the leading bevel 213 may improve fabrication time and yield. Further, it is posited that because formation of the trench 206 terminates within the intermediate layer 204 ′ in step 104 , the variation in the width of the trench may be reduced over the conventional method, which terminates at the underlying etch stop layer. Thus, performance and/or yield may be improved. In addition, the geometry of the pole tip 212 is not adversely affected by use of the method 100 . It is noted that any leading shield that is part of the underlayer 202 may be further spaced apart from the pole tip 212 by the nonmagnetic layer 208 . However, it is believed that this does not significantly or adversely affect performance. Thus, performance and yield may be improved while fabrication is simplified using the method 100 .

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method 150 for providing a magnetic recording transducer having a leading edge bevel. For simplicity, some steps may be omitted, interleaved, performed in another order and/or combined. FIGS. 6A-6B though FIGS. 13A-13B depict an exemplary embodiment of a transducer 250 during fabrication using the method 150 . Referring to FIGS. 5-13B , the method 150 may be used to fabricate multiple magnetic recording heads at substantially the same time. The method 150 may also be used to fabricate other magnetic recording transducers. The method 150 is also described in the context of particular layers. A particular layer may include multiple materials and/or multiple sub-layers. The method 150 also may start after formation of other portions of the magnetic recording transducer. For example, the method 150 may start after a read transducer, return pole/shield and/or other structure have been fabricated.

An underlayer that is substantially flat is provided, via step 152 . Step 152 may include forming a leading shield in the underlayer. However, in contrast to the underlayer for the conventional transducer 50 the top surface of the leading shield may be substantially perpendicular to the ABS location.

An etch stop layer is provided on the underlayer, via step 154 . The etch stop layer may include multiple sublayers. Alternatively, multiple etch stop layer may be considered to be provided. The top surface of the etch stop layer(s) is substantially flat. FIGS. 6A and 6B depict apex and ABS views, respectively, of the transducer 250 after step 154 has been performed. Thus, an underlayer 252 is shown. The underlayer 252 includes a leading shield 252 A that may be formed of NiFe. A remaining portion of the underlayer 252 B is nonmagnetic. In the embodiment shown, the portion of the underlayer 252 B is aluminum oxide. The etch stop layer 254 is also shown. The etch stop layer 254 includes a NiFe layer 254 A and a Ru layer 254 B. In other embodiments, other layer(s) and/or material(s) may be used. The top surfaces of the underlayer 252 and etch stop layer 254 are substantially flat and, therefore, perpendicular to the ABS location. Thus, the top surfaces of the layers 252 and 254 are parallel to the stripe height and cross-track directions.

An intermediate layer is full film deposited on the etch stop 254 , via step 106 . In some embodiments, the intermediate layer is an aluminum oxide layer. FIGS. 7A and 7B depict apex and ABS views, respectively, of the transducer 250 after step 106 is performed. Thus, the intermediate layer 256 is shown. The bottom (leading) surface of the intermediate layer 256 is substantially flat because the underlayer 252 and etch stop layer 254 are substantially flat. Thus, as can be seen the top and bottom surfaces of the intermediate layer 256 are parallel to the stripe height and cross track directions. This geometry may be obtained simply by depositing the intermediate layer on the underlying topology. No additional processing of the intermediate layer may be required. Note that in other embodiments, the top surface of the intermediate layer 256 may not be flat. However, it is believed that in such embodiments subsequent processing, for example photolithography, may be adversely affected by such a top surface.

One or more RIEs are performed to remove a portion of the intermediate layer 256 and form a trench therein, via step 158 . Step 158 may include forming a mask having an aperture corresponding to the location and footprint of the trench. Further, the RIE(s) performed in step 158 terminate within the intermediate layer 256 at and near the ABS location. However, the etch(es) terminate at the etch stop layer 254 in the yoke region. Thus, the depth of the trench formed in the intermediate layer varies at least in part because the width of the trench varies. FIGS. 8A and 8B depict apex and ABS views of the transducer 250 after step 158 is performed. Thus, a trench 257 has been formed in the intermediate layer 256 ′. The bottom of the trench is 257 formed by the intermediate layer 256 ′ at and near the ABS location. Stated differently, a portion of the intermediate layer 256 ′ lies between the bottom of the trench 257 and the etch stop layer 254 and underlayer 252 . Because the etch is terminated in the intermediate layer 257 at and near the ABS location, the trench 257 may have a triangular shape at the ABS location. In the yoke, however, the trench is wider and deeper. The etch that forms the trench 257 may also terminate on or in the etch stop layer 254 . Further, because the bottom of the trench may be on the etch stop layer 254 in the yoke region, the trench 257 may be trapezoidal in cross section instead of triangular. Further, in some embodiments, the depth of the trench 257 increases monotonically in the pole tip region. In the embodiment shown, the depth increases smoothly and linearly. However, in another embodiment, the trench depth may increase in another manner.

A seed layer that may be resistant to an etch of the intermediate layer 256 ′ is deposited in the trench, via step 160 . In some embodiments, a Ru layer is deposited in step 160 . In other embodiments, a Ta or other layer may be deposited. In some embodiments, a multilayer seed layer may be provided in step 160 . The deposition performed in step 160 is conformal. FIGS. 9A and 9B depict apex and ABS views of the transducer 250 after step 160 is performed. Thus, a seed layer 258 has been deposited. A remaining portion of the trench 257 ′ remains open. The nonmagnetic layer 258 resides at least in the trench 257 . The nonmagnetic layer fills a portion of the trench in the pole tip region faster than in the yoke region. This is not only because of the presence of the intermediate layer 254 ′ but also because the trench 257 is narrower in the pole tip region than in the yoke region. Thus, a remaining portion of the trench 257 ′ is shallower at the ABS location than in the yoke region 205 . Stated differently, if the thickness of the nonmagnetic layer 258 is t in the yoke region, then the remaining portion of the trench 257 ′ is shallower by greater than t (and in some embodiments at least 2t) at the ABS location. The remaining, open portion of the trench 257 ′ monotonically increases in depth in the area around the ABS location. In the embodiment shown, the depth of the remaining portion of the trench 257 ′ increases smoothly and linearly. However, in another embodiment, the trench depth may increase in another manner.

The main pole is provided using steps 162 , 164 and, optionally, 166 . The material(s) for the main pole are deposited, via step 162 . In some embodiments, step 162 includes plating the pole materials. FIGS. 10A and 10B depict apex and ABS views of the transducer 250 after step 162 is performed. Thus, the pole material(s) 260 have been provided. The pole material(s) 260 may include a single material (e.g. an alloy), a multilayer or other structure(s). Because of the shape of the trench 257 ′, nonmagnetic layer 258 and intermediate layer 256 ′, the pole material(s) 260 have a leading bevel 261 adjoining the nonmagnetic layer 258 .

The main pole material(s) may be planarized, via step 164 . Step 164 may utilize a chemical mechanical planarization. In addition, an ion mill may be performed to remove the mask and/or other material(s) outside of the trench. FIGS. 11A and 11B depict apex and ABS views of the transducer 250 after step 164 has been performed. The top of the pole material(s) 260 ′ are thus substantially flat. In addition, the pole material(s) 260 , seed layer 258 and mask outside of the trench (not labeled in FIGS. 11A-13B ) have been removed. Thus, the remaining portion of the pole material(s) are in the trench.

A trailing bevel may optionally be formed, via step 166 . Step 166 may include providing a nonmagnetic structure on the pole material(s) 260 that is recessed from the ABS location, then milling the pole material(s). FIGS. 12A and 12B depict apex and ABS view of the transducer 250 after step 166 has been performed. In the transducer 250 , therefore, the pole 260 ′ does include a trailing bevel 264 . Also shown is nonmagnetic structure 262 that may be used in forming the trailing bevel 266 . In some embodiments, step 166 may be interleaved with step(s) 168 , 170 and/or 172 .

The coil(s) that are used to energize the main pole 260 ′ are provided, via step 168 . Step 168 may include forming a helical or spiral coil. Thus, a portion of the coil(s) may be formed before the pole. Single or multiple layers of turns may also be formed. A write gap is formed, via step 170 . The write gap lies on top of the main pole 260 ′. The shield(s) may be provided, via step 172 . Step 172 may include providing side shields, a trailing shield, and/or a wraparound shield (which includes side and trailing shields). FIGS. 13A and 13B depict apex and ABS views of the transducer 250 after step 172 is performed. Thus, a write gap 266 and shield(s) 268 are shown. In the embodiment shown, the shield 268 is a wraparound shield. In some embodiments, other and/or different structures may be fabricated. Fabrication of the transducer may be completed. For example, the transducer 250 may be lapped to the ABS location and contacts and/or other structures may be provided.

Using the method 150 , a main pole 260 having improved performance may be fabricated more simply and with higher yield. For example, the leading bevel 261 may be more simply and readily formed. This may improve fabrication time and yield. Further, the variation in the width main pole 260 ′ at the ABS location may be reduced. Thus, performance and/or yield may be improved. In addition, the geometry of the pole tip for the pole 260 ′ is not adversely affected by use of the method 100 . It is noted that the leading shield 252 A may be further spaced apart from the pole tip by the nonmagnetic layer 258 . However, it is believed that this does not significantly or adversely affect performance. Thus, performance and yield may be improved while fabrication is simplified using the method 150 .