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WO1991006962A1 - Method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head and mask used therefor - Google Patents

Method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head and mask used therefor Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1991006962A1
WO1991006962A1 PCT/US1989/005770 US8905770W WO9106962A1 WO 1991006962 A1 WO1991006962 A1 WO 1991006962A1 US 8905770 W US8905770 W US 8905770W WO 9106962 A1 WO9106962 A1 WO 9106962A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
magnetic
recording head
mask
magnetic recording
ion
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1989/005770
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Matthew W. Pettit
Michael R. Lyon
Original Assignee
Iomega Corporation
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Iomega Corporation filed Critical Iomega Corporation
Publication of WO1991006962A1 publication Critical patent/WO1991006962A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B5/00—Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B5/127—Structure or manufacture of heads, e.g. inductive
    • G11B5/187—Structure or manufacture of the surface of the head in physical contact with, or immediately adjacent to the recording medium; Pole pieces; Gap features
    • G11B5/1871—Shaping or contouring of the transducing or guiding surface
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B5/00—Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B5/10—Structure or manufacture of housings or shields for heads
    • G11B5/105—Mounting of head within housing or assembling of head and housing

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to magnetic recording systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording 5 head for use in magnetic recording systems.
  • the magnetic head assemblies to which this invention most preferably applies are those of the type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 328,630, filed
  • Photolithography is a technology that employs precision instruments and relatively expensive tooling and chemicals to create masked
  • Shadow masking involves the use of a fixture to hold the structure to be masked, e.g., a magnetic recording head, beneath a finger that protects the area not to be ion-beam milled. Although the shadow masking technique may be somewhat successful for low quantity prototype operations, a need has arisen for an acceptable fixture which is inexpensive and easily adapted to large-scale production.
  • a primary object of the present invention to provide a method and device for inexpensively and easily masking the surface of a magnetic recording head or other device that is to be ion-beam milled in response to, and satisfaction of, the aforementioned need experienced in actual practice.
  • a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head for reading and writing to a record medium, comprises a transducer and a body member, with a portion of the transducer protruding from a surface of the body member.
  • the method comprises the steps of: (a) masking the magnetic recording head with a magnetic mask, and (b) ion-beam milling the unmasked area of the magnetic recording head to a predefined depth.
  • the magnetic mask for masking an area of a magnetic recording head to be ion-beam milled is also provided by the present invention.
  • the magnetic mask comprises a body member comprising a magnetic material shaped to produce a predefined etched pattern in the magnetic recording head.
  • the magnetic mask comprises a body member having dimensions of approximately 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in., and is magnetized through one of the 0.005 inch dimensions.
  • Figure 1 depicts a prospective view of a magnetic recording head to be ion-beam milled
  • Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with a magnetic mask disposed according to the present invention
  • Figure 3 depicts a front view of Figure 1 after ion-beam milling; i.e., Figure 3 depicts a front view of a magnetic recording head which has been manufactured in accordance with the method of the invention
  • Figure 4 is a greatly exaggerated, and not to scale, view of the area designated 4 of Figure 3.
  • FIG. 1 a magnetic recording head is shown in Figure 1 which is to be manufactured according to the present invention.
  • the head comprises a body member 10 comprising a flat or substantially flat top surface 14 surrounded by a chamfered area 15, and a ferrite transducer element 16.
  • the body member 10 is comprised of solid material, such as ceramic that has a first slot 20 parallel with the vertical axis of the body 10.
  • a second slot 22 is provided in the body 10 which is perpendicular to the first slot.
  • the transducer element 16 is positioned within slot 20 and held in position within slot 20 by glassing 23 and adhesive 24.
  • the slot 22 and an aperature 28 in the transducer element 16 provide a path for winding a coil (not shown) around the vertical leg 30 of the transducer 16.
  • a magnetic gap 32 is provided in the transducer element 16.
  • the uppermost portion or the upper edge 34 of the transducer element 16 is to extend above the surface 14 (as shown in Figure 4) from about 1 to about 20 micro-inches, as described in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 328,630, as a result of ion-beam milling of the surface 14.
  • an area to be protected from the ion beam comprising a portion of the upper edge of the ferrite transducer 16 is covered with a magnetic mask 36 as depicted in Figure 2.
  • the magnetic mask 36 is made of a precision-machined magnet.
  • the magnetic material chosen for the preferred embodiment of the magnetic mask 36 was neodymium iron boron because of its high magnetic strength and ease of machining. It should be understood, however, that other magnetic materials may be used to take advantage of the strengths of various materials such as, increased magnetism, resistance to process temperatures, different ion-beam milling rates, ease of manufacturing and environmental stability.
  • the size of the magnet used in the preferred embodiment was 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in.
  • the magnet 36 is magnetized through one of the 0.005 inch dimensions. The shape of the magnet can be changed from that shown to create different patterns, depending upon the precise pattern to be etched in the surface of the magnetic head being milled. From the foregoing it will be understood that the magnetic mask 36 is held in place because of the magnetic attraction between the magnetic material of the mask 36 and the ferrite transducer of the magnetic recording head.
  • This novel use of a magnetic mask provides a method of inexpensively and easily masking the surface of a magnetic recording head that is to be ion-beam milled. From the foregoing, it will be understood to those skilled in the art, that by the utilization of a magnetic mask, according to the invention, the unmasked area of the surface 14 may be ion-beam milled to a predefined depth and, that by predefining the pattern of the magnetic mask, the area 14 may be ion-beam milled to a predefined pattern consistent with the predefined pattern of the magnetic mask.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Magnetic Heads (AREA)

Abstract

A method and device are provided for inexpensively and easily masking a magnetic recording head to be ion-beam milled. According to the invention, a magnetic mask (36) comprising a magnet shaped to form a mask (36) for a predefined pattern, is used in place of more expensive and complex photolithographic techniques to mask, or protect, a predefined area of the magnetic recording head being milled from the ion-beam.

Description

%
"Method of Mantifacturing a Magnetic Recording Head and Mask Used Therefore"
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to magnetic recording systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording 5 head for use in magnetic recording systems.
Background of the Invention
The magnetic head assemblies to which this invention most preferably applies are those of the type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 328,630, filed
10 March 27, 1989, assigned to the same assignee as the present application and which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
It may be explained here that ion-beam milling is used extensively in the manufacture of computer chips, to
15 etch patterns on the faces of semi-conductors. The technology commonly used to protect the areas not to be ion-beam milled is photolithography. Photolithography is a technology that employs precision instruments and relatively expensive tooling and chemicals to create masked
20 patterns. Thus, for many applications the costs associated with photolithography can add significantly to the ultimate cost to the consumer of the end item product.
An alternative to photolithography is a technique called "shadow masking". Shadow masking involves the use of a fixture to hold the structure to be masked, e.g., a magnetic recording head, beneath a finger that protects the area not to be ion-beam milled. Although the shadow masking technique may be somewhat successful for low quantity prototype operations, a need has arisen for an acceptable fixture which is inexpensive and easily adapted to large-scale production.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a method and device for inexpensively and easily masking the surface of a magnetic recording head or other device that is to be ion-beam milled in response to, and satisfaction of, the aforementioned need experienced in actual practice.
Summary of the Invention
Briefly and in accordance with the invention, a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head is provided. The magnetic recording head, for reading and writing to a record medium, comprises a transducer and a body member, with a portion of the transducer protruding from a surface of the body member. The method comprises the steps of: (a) masking the magnetic recording head with a magnetic mask, and (b) ion-beam milling the unmasked area of the magnetic recording head to a predefined depth.
A magnetic mask for masking an area of a magnetic recording head to be ion-beam milled is also provided by the present invention. According to the invention, the magnetic mask comprises a body member comprising a magnetic material shaped to produce a predefined etched pattern in the magnetic recording head. In a preferred embodiment, the magnetic mask comprises a body member having dimensions of approximately 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in., and is magnetized through one of the 0.005 inch dimensions. The above and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention and the manner of realizing them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best be understood, from a study of the following description and appended claims, with reference had to the attached drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 depicts a prospective view of a magnetic recording head to be ion-beam milled; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with a magnetic mask disposed according to the present invention; Figure 3 depicts a front view of Figure 1 after ion-beam milling; i.e., Figure 3 depicts a front view of a magnetic recording head which has been manufactured in accordance with the method of the invention; and
Figure 4 is a greatly exaggerated, and not to scale, view of the area designated 4 of Figure 3.
Description of the Preferred Fτnτ*>eκ*Hmwnt. Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, a magnetic recording head is shown in Figure 1 which is to be manufactured according to the present invention. The head comprises a body member 10 comprising a flat or substantially flat top surface 14 surrounded by a chamfered area 15, and a ferrite transducer element 16.
The body member 10 is comprised of solid material, such as ceramic that has a first slot 20 parallel with the vertical axis of the body 10. A second slot 22 is provided in the body 10 which is perpendicular to the first slot. The transducer element 16 is positioned within slot 20 and held in position within slot 20 by glassing 23 and adhesive 24. The slot 22 and an aperature 28 in the transducer element 16 provide a path for winding a coil (not shown) around the vertical leg 30 of the transducer 16. A magnetic gap 32 is provided in the transducer element 16. The uppermost portion or the upper edge 34 of the transducer element 16 is to extend above the surface 14 (as shown in Figure 4) from about 1 to about 20 micro-inches, as described in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 328,630, as a result of ion-beam milling of the surface 14.
According to the present invention, prior to ion- beam milling the surface 14 to achieve a desired flatness, an area to be protected from the ion beam, comprising a portion of the upper edge of the ferrite transducer 16, is covered with a magnetic mask 36 as depicted in Figure 2. Most preferably the magnetic mask 36 is made of a precision-machined magnet.
The magnetic material chosen for the preferred embodiment of the magnetic mask 36 was neodymium iron boron because of its high magnetic strength and ease of machining. It should be understood, however, that other magnetic materials may be used to take advantage of the strengths of various materials such as, increased magnetism, resistance to process temperatures, different ion-beam milling rates, ease of manufacturing and environmental stability. The size of the magnet used in the preferred embodiment was 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in. The magnet 36 is magnetized through one of the 0.005 inch dimensions. The shape of the magnet can be changed from that shown to create different patterns, depending upon the precise pattern to be etched in the surface of the magnetic head being milled. From the foregoing it will be understood that the magnetic mask 36 is held in place because of the magnetic attraction between the magnetic material of the mask 36 and the ferrite transducer of the magnetic recording head.
This novel use of a magnetic mask provides a method of inexpensively and easily masking the surface of a magnetic recording head that is to be ion-beam milled. From the foregoing, it will be understood to those skilled in the art, that by the utilization of a magnetic mask, according to the invention, the unmasked area of the surface 14 may be ion-beam milled to a predefined depth and, that by predefining the pattern of the magnetic mask, the area 14 may be ion-beam milled to a predefined pattern consistent with the predefined pattern of the magnetic mask.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed;
1. A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head for reading and writing to a record medium, the magnetic recording head comprising a transducer and a body member, with a portion of said transducer protruding from a surface of said body member, the method comprising:
(a) masking the magnetic recording head with a magnetic mask; and
(b) ion-beam milling the unmasked area of the magnetic recording head to a predefined, depth.
2. Method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic material comprising said magnetic mask is comprised of neodymium iron boron.
3. Method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic mask is approximately 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in.
4. Method of claim 3 wherein the magnetic mask is magnetized through one of the 0.005 in. dimensions.
5. A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head for reading and writing to a record medium, the magnetic recording head comprising a ferrite transducer and a body member, with a portion of said transducer protruding from a surface of said body member, the method comprising:
(a) masking the magnetic recording head with a magnetic mask, the magnetic mask comprising neodymium iron boron and having a shape corresponding to a predefined pattern; and
(b) ion-beam milling the unmasked area of the magnetic recording head to a predefined depth consistent with said predefined pattern.
6. Method of claim 5 wherein the magnetic mask is approximately 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in.
7. Method of claim 6 wherein the magnetic mask is magnetized through one of the 0.005 in. dimensions.
8. A magnetic mask for masking an area of a magnetic recording head to be ion-beam milled, the magnetic mask comprising a body member comprising a magnetic material, said magnetic material shaped to produce a predefined etched pattern in said magnetic recording head.
9. Magnetic mask of claim 8 wherein the magnetic material is neodymium iron boron.
10. Magnetic mask of claim 8 wherein the body member has dimensions of approximately 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in.
11. Magnetic mask of claim 10 wherein the magnetic mask is magnetized through one of the 0.005 in. dimensions.
12. A magnetic mask for masking an area of a magnetic recording head being ion-beam milled, the magnetic mask comprising a body member substantially consisting of neodymium iron boron and having dimensions of 0.005 in. x 0.005 in. x 0.030 in., and being magnetized through one of the 0.005 inch dimensions.
PCT/US1989/005770 1989-10-26 1989-12-20 Method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head and mask used therefor WO1991006962A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US42776889A 1989-10-26 1989-10-26
US427,768 1989-10-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1991006962A1 true WO1991006962A1 (en) 1991-05-16

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Family Applications (1)

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PCT/US1989/005770 WO1991006962A1 (en) 1989-10-26 1989-12-20 Method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head and mask used therefor

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2289367A (en) * 1994-05-10 1995-11-15 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Laser machining of a magnetic head

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3887421A (en) * 1973-01-22 1975-06-03 Gen Motors Corp Method of masking semiconductor wafers using a self-aligning mask
US4188247A (en) * 1977-03-15 1980-02-12 Data Recording Instrument Company Limited Manufacture of magnetic transducing heads
US4226018A (en) * 1978-02-27 1980-10-07 Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Public Corporation Method for manufacturing a floating type thin film magnetic head
US4374869A (en) * 1982-01-18 1983-02-22 Western Electric Company, Inc. Selective metal etch technique
JPS59179777A (en) * 1983-03-30 1984-10-12 Ulvac Corp Pattern forming device in continuous thin film forming device
US4881984A (en) * 1986-07-28 1989-11-21 Crucible Materials Corporation Consolidation of magnet alloy powders by extrusion and product therefrom

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3887421A (en) * 1973-01-22 1975-06-03 Gen Motors Corp Method of masking semiconductor wafers using a self-aligning mask
US4188247A (en) * 1977-03-15 1980-02-12 Data Recording Instrument Company Limited Manufacture of magnetic transducing heads
US4226018A (en) * 1978-02-27 1980-10-07 Nippon Telegraph And Telephone Public Corporation Method for manufacturing a floating type thin film magnetic head
US4374869A (en) * 1982-01-18 1983-02-22 Western Electric Company, Inc. Selective metal etch technique
JPS59179777A (en) * 1983-03-30 1984-10-12 Ulvac Corp Pattern forming device in continuous thin film forming device
US4881984A (en) * 1986-07-28 1989-11-21 Crucible Materials Corporation Consolidation of magnet alloy powders by extrusion and product therefrom

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN, Volume 24, No. 7A, issued December 1981, (Armonk, New York), J.C. WOOD, "Cleaning of Metal Surfaces by Ion-Etching", see pages 3207 and 3208. *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2289367A (en) * 1994-05-10 1995-11-15 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Laser machining of a magnetic head
US5718036A (en) * 1994-05-10 1998-02-17 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Method for manufacturing a magnetic head
GB2289367B (en) * 1994-05-10 1998-05-06 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Magnetic head and method for manufacturing a magnetic head

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