Title :
Design and fabrication of unshielded dual-element horizontal MR heads
Author :
Guzman, Javier I. ; Mountfield, Keith R. ; Kryder, Mark H. ; Bojko, Richard J. ; Jones, Robert E., Jr.
Author_Institution :
Data Storage Syst. Center, Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA, USA
fDate :
11/1/1994 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
An unshielded, dual-element horizontal MR head utilizing a differential detection technique was designed and fabricated. A new process was developed for etching MR sensor gaps utilizing a combination of direct-write e-beam lithography, reactive ion etching, and ion milling, which allowed heads to be fabricated with MR gap lengths as small as 0.15 μm. Fabricated heads were tested by quasi-statically passing them over prerecorded transitions on flexible particulate media. Calculations from two-dimensional analytical and finite-element models correlate well with readback data
Keywords :
electron beam lithography; magnetic heads; magnetic thin film devices; magnetoresistive devices; sputter etching; 0.15 micron; MR sensor gaps etching; differential detection technique; direct-write e-beam lithography; dual-element horizontal MR heads; fabrication; ion milling; reactive ion etching; unshielded magnetic heads; Data storage systems; Electron beams; Fabrication; Lithography; Magnetic heads; Milling machines; Nanofabrication; Resists; Sputter etching; Sulfur hexafluoride;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
