| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080239567 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same - A pole layer has a track width defining portion and a wide portion. The pole layer has: first and second side surfaces located opposite to each other in a first region extending from a medium facing surface to a position at a distance of 10 to 300 nm from the medium facing surface; third and fourth side surfaces located in a second region other than the first region; a fifth side surface located at the boundary between the first and second regions and connecting the first and third side surfaces to each other; and a sixth side surface located at the boundary between the first and second regions and connecting the second and fourth side surfaces to each other. The distance between the first and second side surfaces taken in the track width direction decreases with decreasing distance from the top surface of the substrate. The angle formed by the third and fourth side surfaces with respect to the direction orthogonal to the top surface of the substrate is smaller than that formed by the first and second side surfaces with respect to the direction orthogonal to the top surface of the substrate. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080254208 | Thin film magnetic head structure adapted to manufacture a thin film magnetic head - A thin-film magnetic head structure has a configuration adapted to manufacture a thin-film magnetic head configured such that a main magnetic pole layer including a magnetic pole end part on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium, a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole end part so as to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side, and a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or main magnetic pole layer are laminated. The main magnetic pole layer has an end face joint structure where respective end faces of the magnetic pole end part and a yoke magnetic pole part having a size greater than that of the magnetic pole end part are joined to each other, and a surface with a flat structure on a side closer to the thin-film coil. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080277376 | Method of manufacturing magnetic head, and magnetic head sub-structure - A method of manufacturing magnetic heads comprises the step of: fabricating a magnetic head substructure by forming a plurality of components of the magnetic heads on a single substrate, wherein a plurality of rows of pre-head portions that will be the respective magnetic heads later are aligned in the substructure; and fabricating the magnetic heads by separating the pre-head portions from one another through cutting the substructure. In the step of fabricating the substructure, a plurality of indicators are formed, each of the indicators serving as a reference for indicating the location of a region ABS in which the medium facing surfaces of the magnetic heads are to be formed. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080316653 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same - A magnetic head includes: a pole layer; a nonmagnetic layer disposed on part of the top surface of the pole layer; a gap layer disposed on the pole layer and the nonmagnetic layer; and a shield disposed on the gap layer. The top surface of the pole layer includes: a first portion having a first edge located in a medium facing surface and a second edge opposite thereto; and a second portion located farther from the medium facing surface than the first portion and connected to the first portion at the second edge. The first portion is inclined with respect to a direction orthogonal to the medium facing surface so that the distance from a substrate increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface. The nonmagnetic layer has a bottom surface touching the second portion, and this bottom surface has an edge located at the second edge. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090002884 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same - An encasing section that accommodates a pole layer includes an encasing layer having an encasing groove, and a nonmagnetic film disposed in the encasing groove at a position between the encasing layer and the pole layer. The pole layer includes a track width defining portion and a wide portion. The distance from a medium facing surface to the boundary between the track width defining portion and the wide portion is within a range of 10 to 300 nm. The track width defining portion has a first side surface and a second side surface, while the wide portion has a third side surface contiguous to the first side surface, and a fourth side surface contiguous to the second side surface. The encasing layer has a first wall surface and a second wall surface that form the encasing groove. The distance between the third side surface and the first wall surface is smaller than the distance between the first side surface and the first wall surface, and the distance between the fourth side surface and the second wall surface is smaller than the distance between the second side surface and the second wall surface. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090032494 | Thin film magnetic head structure, method of making same and thin film magnetic head - A thin-film magnetic head structure has a configuration adapted to manufacture a thin-film magnetic head configured such that a main magnetic pole layer including a magnetic pole tip on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium, a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole tip so as to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side, and a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or main magnetic pole layer are laminated. The magnetic pole tip of the main magnetic pole layer includes an even width portion having a substantially even width along an extending direction. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090040655 | Thin-film magnetic head structure, method of manufacturing the same, and thin-film magnetic head - A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure comprises the steps of preparing an insulating layer | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090042143 | Thin-film magnetic head structure, method of manufacturing the same, and thin-film magnetic head - A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure comprises the steps of preparing an insulating layer | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090059426 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same - A top surface of a pole layer of a magnetic head includes: a first portion having a first edge located in a medium facing surface and a second edge opposite thereto; and a second portion located farther from the medium facing surface than the first portion and connected to the first portion at the second edge. The distance from a substrate to an arbitrary point on the first portion increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point. The angle of inclination of the first portion taken at the arbitrary point with respect to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface increases stepwise or continuously with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point. The angle of inclination taken at the first edge is greater than zero degree. The second portion extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the medium facing surface. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090086370 | Thin film magnetic head structure, method of making same and thin film magnetic head - A thin-film magnetic head structure has a configuration adapted to manufacture a thin-film magnetic head configured such that a main magnetic pole layer including a magnetic pole tip on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium, a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole tip so as to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side, and a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or main magnetic pole layer are laminated. The magnetic pole tip of the main magnetic pole layer includes an even width portion having a substantially even width along an extending direction. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090141406 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same - A magnetic head includes a pole layer and a shield. The shield includes a shield layer having a front end face located in the medium facing surface at a position forward of an end face of the pole layer along a direction of travel of the recording medium. The magnetic head further includes a stopper layer for suppressing protrusion of the front end face of the shield layer, the stopper layer being disposed adjacent to the shield layer and made of a nonmagnetic material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 5×10 | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090147400 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording - A magnetic head comprises a pole layer, a shield layer, a gap layer disposed between the pole layer and the shield layer, and a coil. The shield layer incorporates: a first layer disposed on the gap layer; a second layer disposed on the first layer; and a third layer disposed on the second layer. The first layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface. An end face of each of the second and third layers closer to the medium facing surface is located at a distance from the medium facing surface. A first nonmagnetic layer is disposed around the first layer. A second nonmagnetic layer is disposed between the medium facing surface and the end face of the second layer closer to the medium facing surface. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090158582 | Method of manufacturing a magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording - A method of manufacturing a magnetic head is disclosed. The steps of manufacture include the formation of an underlying layer made of a material whose etching rate of ion beam etching is higher than that of a magnetic alloy used to make a pole layer, and the formation of a magnetic layer, which includes a portion of the magnetic layer to be etched that will be formed into a track width defining portion by making its side surfaces sloped through etching. The magnetic layer is formed such that the portion to be etched is disposed on the underlying layer. The side surfaces of the portion to be etched by the ion beam etching are etched so that the magnetic layer is formed into the pole layer and so that the end face of the track width defining portion located in the medium facing surface has a width that decreases with decreasing distance from the substrate. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090162699 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same - A magnetic head includes: a pole layer; a pole-layer-encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a top surface and a groove that opens at the top surface; and a nonmagnetic layer that is made of a nonmagnetic metal material, disposed in the groove and forms a pole-layer-encasing section that accommodates the pole layer. A method of manufacturing the magnetic head includes the steps of: forming the pole-layer-encasing layer; forming an initial nonmagnetic layer in the groove of the pole-layer-encasing layer by physical vapor deposition, the initial nonmagnetic layer being intended to become the nonmagnetic layer later by undergoing etching of a surface thereof, etching the surface of the initial nonmagnetic layer by dry etching so that the initial nonmagnetic layer becomes the nonmagnetic layer; and forming the pole layer in the pole-layer-encasing section formed by the nonmagnetic layer. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090173714 | Method of manufacturing magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording - A magnetic head comprises: an encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a groove that opens in the top surface; a nonmagnetic metal layer made of a nonmagnetic metal material, disposed on the top surface of the encasing layer, and having a penetrating opening that is contiguous to the groove; and a pole layer made of a magnetic metal material and encased in the groove of the encasing layer and in the opening of the nonmagnetic metal layer. The pole layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface, the end face having a first portion and a second portion that is located farther from a substrate than the first portion and connected to the first portion. The first portion has a width that decreases as the distance from the substrate decreases. The second portion has a uniform width that defines the track width. In the medium facing surface, the nonmagnetic metal layer exists on both sides of the second portion, the sides being opposed to each other in the direction of track width. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090277870 | Method of manufacturing magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording - A magnetic head includes a pole layer, and an encasing layer having a groove that accommodates the pole layer. A manufacturing method for the magnetic head includes the steps of forming a nonmagnetic layer that will later undergo formation of the groove therein and will thereby become the encasing layer; forming the groove in the nonmagnetic layer so that the nonmagnetic layer becomes the encasing layer; and forming the pole layer such that the pole layer is accommodated in the groove of the encasing layer. The nonmagnetic layer is formed of Al | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090294402 | Method of manufacturing magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording - A magnetic head includes: a pole layer including a track width defining portion and a wide portion; and an encasing layer disposed on a bottom forming layer and having a groove that accommodates the pole layer. The groove includes a first portion for accommodating at least part of the track width defining portion, and a second portion for accommodating at least part of the wide portion. A manufacturing method for the magnetic head includes: the step of etching a nonmagnetic layer that will become the encasing layer later, such that an initial groove including the first portion is formed in the nonmagnetic layer; the step of forming an initial groove mask covering the first portion; and a second etching step for etching the nonmagnetic layer so as to complete the groove. When the second etching step starts, a portion of the top surface of the bottom forming layer located in a region in which the second portion is to be formed is covered with the nonmagnetic layer or the initial groove mask. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20100149687 | Magnetic head that suppresses protrusion of medium facing surface caused by heat of coil - A magnetic head includes a coil, a pole layer, and a coil adjacent layer. The coil includes a winding portion having two side surfaces. The coil adjacent layer is adjacent to at least part of the whole of the two side surfaces of the winding portion. The coil adjacent layer is formed of a nonmagnetic material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 5×10 | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100165517 | Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording having side shield layer and method of manufacturing same - A magnetic head includes a side shield layer and an encasing layer. The side shield layer has a first end face located in the medium facing surface, a second end face opposite to the first end face, and a first groove accommodating a portion of a pole layer. The first end face includes two portions located on both sides of an end face of the pole layer that are opposite to each other in a track width direction. The encasing layer is formed of a nonmagnetic material and disposed on a side of the side shield layer opposite to a medium facing surface. The encasing layer has a front end face touching the second end face of the side shield layer, and a second groove accommodating another portion of the pole layer. The distance from the medium facing surface to an arbitrary point on the second end face of the side shield layer decreases with decreasing distance from the arbitrary point to the top surface of a substrate. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100260015 | Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with near-field light generating element - A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a magnetic pole, a waveguide, a near-field light generating element, and a substrate on which they are stacked. The near-field light generating element and the waveguide are disposed farther from the top surface of the substrate than is the magnetic pole. The near-field light generating element has an outer surface including: a first end face located in the medium facing surface; a second end face farther from the medium facing surface; and a coupling portion coupling the first and second end faces to each other. The first end face includes a near-field light generating part. The waveguide has an outer surface including an opposed portion opposed to a part of the coupling portion. The head further includes a mirror that reflects light emitted from a light source disposed above the waveguide, so as to let the light travel through the waveguide toward the medium facing surface. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100301007 | Method of manufacturing magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording including two side shields - A magnetic head includes a pole layer, first and second side shields, and an encasing layer having first to third grooves that accommodate the pole layer and the first and second side shields. A manufacturing method for the magnetic head includes the step of forming the first to third grooves in a nonmagnetic layer by using an etching mask layer having first to third openings. This step includes the steps of forming the first groove by etching the nonmagnetic layer using the first opening, with the second and third openings covered with a first mask; and forming the second and third grooves by etching the nonmagnetic layer using the second and third openings, with the first opening covered with a second mask. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100328806 | Near-field light generating device that includes near-field light generating element accommodated in a groove of an encasing layer - A near-field light generating element accommodated in a groove of an encasing layer has an outer surface that includes a first end face including a near-field light generating part, a second end face opposite to the first end face, and a coupling portion that couples the first and second end faces. The coupling portion includes a top surface, and first and second side surfaces that decrease in distance from each other with increasing distance from the top surface. The first end face includes a first side located at an end of the first side surface, and a second side located at an end of the second side surface. Each of the first and second sides includes an upper part and a lower part continuous with each other. An angle formed between the respective lower parts of the first and second sides is smaller than that formed between the respective upper parts of the first and second sides. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110013497 | Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with laser diode fixed to slider - A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider, and an external mirror provided outside the slider. The slider includes a magnetic pole, a waveguide, a near-field light generating element, and a substrate. The substrate has a top surface facing toward the magnetic pole, the near-field light generating element and the waveguide. The slider has a top surface that lies above the top surface of the substrate, at an end of the slider farther from the top surface of the substrate. The laser diode includes: an active layer; an emitting end face that lies at an end in a direction parallel to the plane of the active layer and includes an emission part for emitting laser light; and a bottom surface that lies at an end in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the active layer. The laser diode is arranged so that the bottom surface faces the top surface of the slider. The external mirror reflects the laser light emitted from the emission part toward the waveguide. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110041322 | Method of manufacturing magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording including two side shields - A magnetic head includes a pole layer, first and second side shields, and an encasing layer having a pole groove that accommodates the pole layer and first and second side shield grooves that accommodate the first and second side shields. In a manufacturing method for the magnetic head, the pole groove and first and second initial side shield grooves are formed in a nonmagnetic layer using an etching mask layer having first to third openings. In the manufacturing method, a wall face of the first initial side shield groove that is closer to the pole groove and a wall face of the second initial side shield groove that is closer to the pole groove are etched by dry etching to thereby complete the first and second side shield grooves. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110058273 | Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with laser diode fixed to slider - A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider, and an external mirror provided outside the slider. The slider includes a magnetic pole, a waveguide, and a near-field light generating element. The laser diode includes: an emitting end face that lies at an end in a direction parallel to the plane of an active layer and includes a laser-light emission part; and a mounting surface that lies at an end in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the active layer and faces the slider. The external mirror includes: a first reference surface that is parallel to the emitting end face and faces the emitting end face; a second reference surface that is parallel to the mounting surface and faces toward the same direction as the mounting surface does; and a reflecting surface that connects the first and second reference surfaces to each other and reflects the laser light emitted from the emission part toward the waveguide. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110096435 | Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with laser diode fixed to slider - A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a slider, an edge-emitting laser diode fixed to the slider, and an external mirror fixed to the laser diode. The laser diode has an emitting end face that includes an emission part for emitting laser light; a mounting surface that lies at an end in a direction perpendicular to the plane of an active layer and faces the slider; and a rear surface opposite to the mounting surface. The external mirror includes: a first to-be-fixed part disposed along the emitting end face; a second to-be-fixed part disposed along the rear surface; and a coupling part that couples the first and second to-be-fixed parts to each other. The first to-be-fixed part has a reflecting surface that reflects the laser light emitted from the emission part toward the waveguide. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110147343 | Method of manufacturing magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording - A magnetic head includes: a pole layer including a track width defining portion and a wide portion; and an accommodation layer disposed on a bottom forming layer and having a groove that accommodates the pole layer. The groove includes a first portion for accommodating at least part of the track width defining portion, and a second portion for accommodating at least part of the wide portion. A manufacturing method for the magnetic head includes the steps of; forming a groove defining layer on a nonmagnetic layer that is intended to later become the accommodation layer; forming a mask that covers an area of the nonmagnetic layer where to form the first portion of the groove; etching the nonmagnetic layer so that the second portion of the groove is formed in the nonmagnetic layer; removing the mask; and taper-etching the nonmagnetic layer so that the first portion of the groove is formed in the nonmagnetic layer and the groove is thereby completed. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110149426 | Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with internal mirror - A heat-assisted magnetic recording head has an internal mirror that includes a reflecting film support body and a reflecting film. The internal mirror reflects light that comes from above a waveguide so that the reflected light travels through the waveguide toward a medium facing surface. The reflecting film support body includes first and second inclined surfaces. The reflecting film includes first and second portions that are located on the first and second inclined surfaces, respectively. The step of forming the reflecting film support body includes two-taper etching operations to be performed on an initial support body. | 06-23-2011 |
