Method of making pole tip structure for thin film magnetic heads

U.S. Patent Number: 5393376

Abstract: A simplified method is provided for making a thin film magnetic head pole tip structure which includes a sidegap G sandwiched between pole tips PT1 and PT2. The method includes depositing bottom and top seedlayers with an insulation layer sandwiched therebetween. The pole tip PT2 is frame plated on top of the top seedlayer with top and bottom film surfaces which are bounded in part by a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls. The second seedlayer and preferably a depth portion of the insulation layer are removed with the exception of width portions of these layers below the pole tip PT1. A gap insulation layer is deposited on a sidewall of the pole tip PT1 to form the sidegap. The insulation layer with the exception of a portion of an insulation layer below the pole tip PT1 is removed to expose a portion of the bottom seedlayer adjacent to the pole tip PT1 where the pole tip PT2 is to be formed. The pole tip PT2 is then frame plated on top of the exposed portion of the first seedlayer adjacent to the sidegap to complete the desired thin film magnetic head.

Inventors: Chen; Mao-Min (San Jose, CA), Ju; Kochan (San Jose, CA), Robertson; Neil L. (Campbell, CA), Wang; Po-Kang (San Jose, CA)

Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)

Application Number: 08/175,886

Issued: 1995-02-28

Expired: 2007-02-28

Classes: 216/22 ; 216/48; 216/67

Field of search: 156/643,651,653,656,657,659.1 29/603 360/126

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