Track profile study of ABS-patterned narrow track thin film inductive heads

ABS-patterning is a known method for achieving the ever-increasing track density requirements of today´s disk drives. This patterning leaves a shoulder on either side of the head which can affect the track profile of the head. Therefore, the height and width of this shoulder are important parameters to control when fabricating heads in this fashion. In this study, we examine the effect of the shoulder width and the shoulder height on the cross-track performance. We conclude that a shoulder height of 0.75 μm is sufficient to minimize the effect of a shoulder width of up to 1 μm. A 3D model was constructed and shows good agreement with the data. The model was used to predict throat-height tolerance and to model wider shoulder widths