High track density recording head

Abstract

For high track density recording, tighter reader and writer track width control are essential. This has been achieved by using the write gap layer as the plating seed on which the upper pole was electro-formed so that the width of the GMR pedestal serves to define the device's write track width.

1 . A magnetic write head for high track density applications, comprising: 
 a magnetic shield layer;    on said magnetic shield layer, a pedestal having a height and a width, said pedestal comprising:    a high magnetic moment seed layer on said magnetic shield layer;    a sputtered non-magnetic write gap layer on said a high magnetic moment seed layer; and    an upper write pole on said sputtered non-magnetic write gap layer;    whereby said pedestal width defines a write track width for said read write head.    
   
   
       2 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said high magnetic moment seed layer is selected from the group consisting of CoFe and CoFeN.  
   
   
       3 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said high magnetic moment seed layer has a thickness between about 1,000 and 4,000 Angstroms.  
   
   
       4 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said high magnetic moment seed layer has a magnetic moment of at least 24 kilogauss.  
   
   
       5 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said write gap layer is selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, and NiCr.  
   
   
       6 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said write gap layer has a thickness between about 700 and 1,200 Angstroms, said thickness being controlled to within 50 Angstroms.  
   
   
       7 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said upper write pole is selected from the group consisting of CoNiFe and CoFe.  
   
   
       8 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said pedestal height is between about 2.5 and 3.5 microns.  
   
   
       9 . The write head described in  claim 1  wherein said pedestal width is between about 0.1 and 0.2 microns.  
   
   
       10 . A magnetic read-write head, comprising: 
 a lower magnetic shield layer;    a magnetic read head over said lower magnetic shield;    an upper magnetic shield layer over said magnetic read head;    on said upper magnetic shield layer, a pedestal having a height and a width, said pedestal comprising:    a high magnetic moment seed layer on said upper magnetic shield layer;    a sputtered non-magnetic write gap layer on said a high magnetic moment seed layer; and    an upper write pole on said sputtered non-magnetic write gap layer, whereby said pedestal width defines a write track width for said read write head.    
   
   
       11 . The read-write head described in  claim 10  wherein said lower magnetic shield has a thickness between about 1 and 3 microns.  
   
   
       12 . The read-write head described in  claim 10  wherein said upper magnetic shield has a thickness between about 4 and 7 microns.  
   
   
       13 . The read-write head described in  claim 10  wherein said upper and lower magnetic shields are separated by between about 400 and 1,000 Angstroms.  
   
   
       14 . The read-write head described in  claim 10  wherein said write gap layer has a thickness between about 700 and 1,200 Angstroms Å 50 Angstroms.