US 7,370,406 B2 | ||
Method of manufacturing a thin film structure | ||
Hisayuki Yazawa, Niigata-ken (Japan) | ||
Assigned to TDK Corporation, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
Filed on Jun. 02, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/858,999. | ||
Claims priority of application No. 2003-163088 (JP), filed on Jun. 09, 2003; and application No. 2003-316950 (JP), filed on Sep. 09, 2003. | ||
Prior Publication US 2004/0246623 A1, Dec. 09, 2004 | ||
Int. Cl. G11B 5/17 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 29—603.23 [29/603.07; 29/603.25; 29/846; 29/841; 29/850; 205/119; 205/123; 205/125; 360/234.4; 360/264.2] | 4 Claims |
1. A method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, the method comprising:
(a) forming a lower core layer;
(b) forming a first insulating layer around the lower core layer;
(c) simultaneously forming by plating a coil layer on the lower core layer with a coil insulating underlayer interposed therebetween
and a first coil lead layer connected to the coil layer on the first insulating layer;
(d) forming a coil insulating layer of an inorganic material on the coil layer and the first coil lead layer;
(e) forming two openings in the coil insulating layer on the first coil lead layer to expose the first coil lead layer so
that the two openings form a plating-forming opening and a current-carrying opening;
(f) simultaneously forming a first plating underlayer by plating a second plating underlayer on the first coil lead layer
exposed through the plating-forming opening, and a current-carrying lead layer that is continuously provided from the surface
of the first coil lead layer exposed through the current-carrying opening to a surface of the coil insulating layer, using
the same material;
(g) simultaneously forming, by plating from the same material as the first plating underlayer, an upper core layer on the
first plating underlayer and a base portion on the second plating underlayer in the plating-forming opening formed in the
coil insulating layer by supplying a current from the current-carrying lead layer to the second plating underlayer in the
plating-forming opening through the first coil lead layer facing the current-carrying opening, and further forming a first
upper portion from the same material as that for the upper core layer by plating to extend from the base portion to an outside
of the plating-forming opening using free plating growth from the base portion;
(h) forming a second upper portion, which is provided on the first upper portion and extends therefrom to the outside of the
plating-forming opening and which has an outer shape having a height larger than that of the plating-forming opening, a width
extending from the plating-forming opening to the surface of the coil insulating layer, and a convex-curved side surface,
using free plating growth from the first upper portion by supplying a current to the first upper portion from the current-carrying
lead layer through the first coil lead layer facing the current-carrying opening and the second plating underlayer in the
plating-forming opening, so that a protrusion is formed from the base portion, the first upper portion, and the second upper
portion;
(i) removing the current-carrying lead layer by ion milling; and
(j) forming a protective layer of an inorganic material on the second upper portion of the protrusion and the coil insulating
layer.
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