JPH10241114A - Manufacture of thin film magnetic head - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable continuous forming of a second magnetic layer and a magnetic gap layer by sequentially laminating a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a magnetic gap layer composed of an insulating film to form a contact hole, and then etching and removing a part of a third magnetic layer overlapping the contact hole and a part excluding the second magnetic layer to form a rear middle core. SOLUTION: A contact hole is formed on a magnetic gap layer 10 so that a second middle core 13b is composed of a magnetic layer 9b and a magnetic layer 12b. A magnetic layer and the magnetic gap layer 10 is sequentially laminated on front and rear first middle cores 6a and 6b, and on an insulating layer 8. And then the magnetic gap layer 10 overlapped with the first middle core 6b is etched and removed for forming the contact hole. And a front second middle core 13a and a rear second middle core 13b is formed. Since only the rear second middle core 13b is exposed to air, deterioration such as oxidation, etc., of the magnetic layer of the front second middle core 13a can be prevented, which improves reliability.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head suitable for a VTR device, a magnetic disk device, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Thin-film magnetic heads have been manufactured using IC manufacturing techniques such as thin-film forming technology, photolithographic technology, and etching in order to cope with multi-tracking and the like accompanying high-density recording. The present applicant has disclosed a structure for preventing magnetic saturation and magnetic flux leakage from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-58330.
No. 8 discloses a thin film magnetic head having a structure in which a lower core and an upper core are magnetically connected via an intermediate core. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-98817 discloses that pole trimming is performed in a manufacturing process of a thin film magnetic head having this structure for the purpose of preventing recording bleeding and crosstalk.

A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-98817 will be described below. FIG. 11 to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a manufacturing process of the thin-film magnetic head disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H10-209,004. 15A to 21A are cross-sectional views of a manufacturing process of a conventional thin-film magnetic head, and FIGS.
FIG. 5 is a view as seen from the direction of arrows bb in FIG.

(First Step) First, an insulating layer 101 and a magnetic layer 102a are sequentially formed on a substrate 100 (FIG. 1).
1). After forming a photoresist pattern by photolithography, the magnetic layer 102a is etched to form the lower core 102 (FIG. 12).

(Second step) Next, after forming an insulating layer 103 on the insulating layer 101 and the lower core 102, the lower core 1
02 is mechanically polished until the insulating layer 103 is exposed.
Then, the lower core 102 is flattened (FIG. 13).

(Third Step) Further, the same steps as (First Step) and (Second Step) are repeated to form a front first intermediate core 105a having a predetermined interval on the lower core 102 and a rear first intermediate core 105a.
The intermediate core 105b and the insulating layer 104 are formed and flattened (FIG. 14).

(Fourth Step) Thereafter, the rear first intermediate core 105b is formed on the insulating layer 104 by photolithography.
Forming a photoresist pattern in the shape of a coil surrounding the first coil groove 106 by etching the insulating layer 104;
a is formed. Subsequently, a conductive material such as Cu is formed on the insulating layer 104, and the conductive material attached to portions other than the first coil groove 106a is removed by mechanical polishing to form the first coil 106 (FIG. 15).

(Fifth Step) Further, the same steps as (First Step) and (Second Step) are repeated to form a front auxiliary intermediate core 107a and a rear first intermediate core on the front first intermediate core 105a. A rear auxiliary intermediate core 107b and an insulating layer 108 are formed on 105b, and the front auxiliary intermediate core 107a, the rear auxiliary intermediate core 107b, and the insulating layer 108 are planarized (FIG. 1).
6).

(Sixth step) Further, the auxiliary intermediate core 107
After a magnetic gap layer 109 made of an insulator is formed on the insulating layers 108a and 107b, a photoresist pattern is formed by photolithography, and a portion of the magnetic gap layer 109 overlapping the rear auxiliary intermediate core 107b is etched. After removal, a contact hole 110 is formed (FIG. 17).

(Seventh Step) Next, the magnetic gap layer 109
Then, a magnetic layer 111 is formed on the contact hole 110 (FIG. 18). After a photoresist pattern is formed on the magnetic layer 111 by photolithography, the front auxiliary intermediate core 1 in a portion overlapping the front first intermediate core 105a is formed.
07a, the magnetic gap layer 109, and the magnetic layer 111 are removed by etching up to the insulating layer 104. At the same time, the portions other than the rear auxiliary intermediate core 107b and the magnetic layer 111 which overlap the rear first intermediate core 105b are removed by etching up to the insulating layer 104 (port trimming FIG. 19). Thus, the magnetic layer 111 formed on the magnetic gap layer 109
Is the front second intermediate core 112a, and the magnetic layer 111 formed on the rear auxiliary intermediate core 107b is the rear second intermediate core 112b.

(Eighth Step) Next, the front second intermediate core 11
2a, the rear second intermediate core 112b and the first coil 106
After forming the insulating layer 113 on the insulating layer 104 on which is formed, the front second intermediate core 112a and the rear second intermediate 112b
Is mechanically polished until the first second intermediate core 1 is exposed.
12a, the rear second intermediate core 112b and the insulating layer 113 are flattened. Thereafter, the insulating layer 1 is formed by a photolithography method.
13, a coil-shaped photoresist pattern is formed in the same manner as the first coil 106 by surrounding the rear second intermediate core 107b, and the insulating layer 113 is etched to form a second coil groove 114a. Subsequently, the front second intermediate core 112
a, C is formed on the rear second intermediate core 112b and the insulating layer 113.
After the conductive material such as u is formed, the conductive material attached to portions other than the second coil groove 114a is removed by mechanical polishing to form the second coil 114 (FIG. 1).
9).

(Ninth Step) The first innermost position on the side of the rear second intermediate core 112b opposite to the front second intermediate core 112a.
A portion of the insulating layer 113 overlapping with the coil 106 is removed by etching up to the first coil to form a first through hole 115. Again, after a conductive material such as Cu is formed on the front second intermediate core 112a, the rear second intermediate core 112b, and the insulating layer 113, the conductive material adhered to portions other than the second coil grooves 114a is mechanically polished. To form the first through-contact 116 (FIG. 20). Thus, the second coil 114 is connected to the first coil 106 via the through-contact 116.

(Tenth Step) Next, the front second intermediate core 1
12a, rear second intermediate core 112b and second coil 11
The insulating layer 117 is formed on the insulating layer 113 having the number 4.
A photoresist pattern is formed on the insulating layer 117 by photolithography to form the front second intermediate core 112a,
Insulating layer 117 in a portion overlapping rear second intermediate core 112b
Are removed by etching to form contact holes 117a and 11b.
7b is formed. Furthermore, contact holes 117a, 1
A magnetic layer is formed on the insulating layer 117b and the insulating layer 117, a photoresist pattern is formed by a photolithography method, and the magnetic layer is etched to form an upper core 118.

Further, an insulating layer 119 is formed on the upper core 118, and the upper core 118 and the insulating layer 119 are planarized by mechanical polishing until the upper core 118 is exposed. Thereafter, the insulating layer 119 that overlaps with the second coil 114 is etched to the second coil 114 on the outermost peripheral portion on the side of the rear second intermediate core 112b opposite to the front second intermediate core 112a. A hole 120a is formed. continue,
After a conductive material such as Cu is formed on the upper core 118 and the insulating layer 119, the conductive material attached to the portions other than the second through-hole 120a is removed by mechanical polishing, and the second material is removed.
A through contact 120 is formed. Again, upper core 11
8 and a conductive material such as Cu on the insulating layer 119,
A photoresist pattern is formed on the insulating layer 119 by photolithography so that the lead line 121 overlaps the second through contact 120, and a conductive pattern other than the pattern of the lead line 121 is formed. Etching away material,
A lead line 121 is formed (FIG. 21). As described above, by performing port trimming, a thin film magnetic head with less recording blur and crosstalk can be obtained.

[0015]

However, when compared with a process in which no port trimming is performed, the first coil 1
Front intermediate core 107a and rear auxiliary intermediate core 107b for preventing etching of 06
Therefore, the number of manufacturing steps such as mechanical polishing and etching must be increased, resulting in a decrease in manufacturing yield and an increase in manufacturing process time. In addition, since the upper surfaces of the first front auxiliary intermediate core 107a and the rear auxiliary core 107b are mechanically polished surfaces, there is a possibility that the upper surfaces are deteriorated due to processing distortion, oxidation, or the like. Similarly, without hole trimming,
Front first intermediate core 105a and rear first intermediate core 105
Also, when the magnetic cap layer 109 is formed directly on
Front first intermediate core 105a and rear first intermediate core 105
Since the upper surface of b was a surface that was mechanically polished, there was a possibility that the upper surface was degraded due to processing distortion, oxidation, or the like. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and provides a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head having a high production yield without coil breakage even when performing port trimming. The purpose is to:

[0016]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a magnetic circuit is formed by an upper and lower core, and a front intermediate core and a rear intermediate core provided between the upper and lower cores. In the method for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, wherein the magnetic gap layer is formed in the front intermediate core, the second magnetic layer is formed on the first magnetic layer constituting a part of the front intermediate core and the rear intermediate core. And a magnetic gap layer composed of an insulating film are sequentially laminated, and the magnetic gap layer in the portion to be the rear intermediate core is removed by etching to form a contact hole, and then the contact hole is formed on the magnetic gap layer and the contact hole. Forming a third magnetic layer, and removing the second magnetic layer, the magnetic gap layer, and the third magnetic layer other than the portion overlapping the upper core and the lower core by etching to the first magnetic layer. Then, at the same time as forming the front intermediate core, the portion other than the third magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer overlapping with the contact hole is removed by etching to form the rear intermediate core. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head according to the first aspect, the second magnetic layer, the magnetic gap layer comprising an insulating film, and the third magnetic layer are formed on the first magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer, the magnetic gap layer, and the third magnetic layer other than a portion overlapping the upper core and the lower core by sequentially stacking magnetic layers are removed by etching up to the first magnetic layer. A front intermediate core and the rear intermediate core are formed.

A second magnetic layer and a magnetic gap layer composed of an insulating layer are sequentially laminated on the first magnetic layer constituting a part of the front intermediate core and the rear intermediate core. After the magnetic gap layer is removed by etching to form a contact hole, a third magnetic layer is formed on the magnetic gap layer and the contact hole, and the third magnetic layer is formed on a portion other than a portion overlapping the upper core and the lower core. The second magnetic layer, the magnetic gap layer, and the third magnetic layer are removed by etching to the first magnetic layer to form the front intermediate core, and at the same time, the third magnetic layer overlaps with the contact hole. Since the portion other than the layer and the second magnetic layer is removed by etching to form the rear intermediate core, the second magnetic layer is not oxidized or subjected to processing strain.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 10 are sectional views showing the steps of manufacturing the thin-film magnetic head of the present invention. 5A to 10, (a) is a cross-sectional view of a thin-film magnetic head manufacturing process, and (b) is bb of (a).
It is the arrow view seen from the direction.

(First step) sputtering, by vapor deposition or the like, sequentially forming an insulating layer 2 and the magnetic layer 3a such as TiO ₂ on the substrate 1 (FIG. 1). Next, after forming a photoresist pattern by photolithography, the magnetic layer 3a is etched by ion milling or the like to form the lower core 3 (FIG. 2).

(Second Step) Next, the insulating layer 2 and the lower core 3
After forming the insulating layer 4 thereon, the lower core 3 and the insulating layer 4 are flattened mechanically until the lower core 3 is exposed (FIG. 3).

(Third step) After a magnetic layer is formed on the lower core 3 and the insulating layer 4, a photoresist pattern is formed by a photolithography method, and the magnetic layer is removed by etching to the lower core 3. Part first intermediate core 6a and rear part first
The intermediate core 6b is formed. Thereafter, the insulating layer 5 is formed on the insulating layer 4, the front first intermediate core 6a, and the rear first intermediate core 6b, and the front first intermediate core 6a and the rear first intermediate core 6b are formed.
The insulating layer 5, the front first intermediate core 6a, and the rear first intermediate core 6b are flattened until the surface is exposed.

(Fourth Step) Thereafter, a coil-shaped photoresist pattern surrounding the rear first intermediate core 6b is formed on the insulating layer 5 by photolithography, and the insulating layer 5 is etched to form a first photoresist pattern. The coil groove 7a is formed. Subsequently, a conductive material such as Cu is formed on the insulating layer 6, and the conductive material attached to portions other than the first coil groove 7a is removed by mechanical polishing to form the first coil 7 (FIG. 5).

(Fifth Step) Further, an insulating layer 8 is formed on the insulating layer 5 on which the first coil 7 is formed and the first intermediate cores 6a and 6b.
After forming a photoresist pattern by photolithography, the insulating layer 8 on the front first intermediate core 6a and the rear first intermediate core 6b is removed by etching. Thereafter, a magnetic layer 9 and a magnetic gap layer 10 made of an insulator are sequentially formed on the front first intermediate core 6a, the rear first intermediate core 6b, and the insulating layer 8, and subsequently, a photoresist pattern is formed by photolithography. After the formation of the contact hole, the magnetic gap layer 10 in a portion overlapping the rear first intermediate core 6b is removed by etching to form a contact hole 11 (FIG. 6).

(Sixth Step) Next, a magnetic layer 12 is formed on the magnetic gap layer 10 and the contact hole 11 (FIG. 7). As a result, the magnetic layer 12 becomes the contact hole 11
Through the magnetic layer 9.

After a photoresist pattern is formed on the magnetic layer 12 by photolithography, an insulating layer other than the magnetic layer 9, the magnetic gap 10, and the magnetic layer 12a in a portion that overlaps and is stacked with the front first intermediate core 6a. Etching is removed by ion milling or the like up to 8. At the same time, the portions of the magnetic layer 9 and the magnetic layer 12 which overlap with the rear first intermediate core 6b and are laminated.
The remaining portions are removed by etching or the like to the insulating layer 8 by ion milling or the like (port trimming, FIG. 8). Thus, the front second
The intermediate core 13a has a structure in which the magnetic layer 9, the magnetic gap layer 10, and the magnetic layer 12 are stacked. The rear second intermediate core 13b has a structure in which the magnetic layer 9 and the magnetic layer 12 are stacked.

Thereafter, an insulating layer 14 is formed on the front second intermediate core 13a, the rear second intermediate core 13b and the insulating layer 8, and mechanical polishing is performed until the second intermediate cores 13a and 13b are exposed. And flatten. Further, a coil-shaped photoresist pattern surrounding the rear second intermediate core 13b is formed on the insulating layer 14 by photolithography.
The second coil groove 15a is formed by etching the insulating layer 14. Subsequently, the front second portion is formed by photolithography.
The portion of the insulating layer 14 that overlaps with the first coil groove 7a is located at the innermost peripheral position of the rear second intermediate core 13b opposite to the intermediate core 13a.
Is removed by etching to form a first through-hole groove 17a. Next, a conductive material such as Cu is formed on the insulating layer 14, and the second coil groove 15a and the first through-hole groove 17a are formed.
The conductive material attached to the other parts is mechanically removed by polishing to form the second coil 15 and the through-contact 17. Thereafter, an insulating layer 16 is formed on the insulating layer 14 on which the front second intermediate core 13a, the rear second intermediate core 13b, and the second coil are formed, and the front second intermediate core 13a is formed by photolithography. The insulating layer 14 on the rear second intermediate core 13b is formed.

Next, the insulating layer 16 and the front second intermediate core 1
3a, a magnetic layer is formed on the rear second intermediate core 13b, a photoresist pattern is formed on the magnetic layer 6 by a photolithography method, and then the magnetic layer 6 is removed by etching to form an upper core 18. . Further, an insulating layer 19 is formed on the insulating layer 14 and the upper core 18, and is mechanically polished until the upper core 18 is exposed, so that the upper core 18 and the insulating layer 19 are planarized. The rear second part opposite to the front second intermediate core 13a
At the outermost peripheral position on the side of the intermediate core 13b, the portion of the insulating layer 19 overlapping with the second coil groove 15a is removed by etching to form a second through-contact groove 20a. Continue with upper core 1
A conductive material such as Cu is formed on the insulating layer 8 and the insulating layer 19.
In this case, a conductive material is also formed in the second through-contact groove 20a, and the second through-contact 2
0 is formed. A pattern of the lead line 21 is formed by photolithography, and the conductive material is etched away to form the lead line 21. Thus, the lead wire 21 is connected to the second coil 1 via the second through contact 20.
5 (FIG. 9).

As described above, the home shown in the prior art is
The front auxiliary intermediate core 107a
Even if the step of forming the rear auxiliary intermediate core 107b is omitted, the same magnetic recording characteristics as those of the related art can be obtained, the manufacturing yield can be improved, and an inexpensive thin-film magnetic head can be obtained.
Further, after the magnetic layer 9 and the magnetic gap layer 10 are sequentially laminated on the first intermediate cores 6a and 6b and the insulating layer 8, the magnetic gap layer 10 in the portion overlapping the first intermediate core 6b is removed by etching. Since the front second intermediate core 13a and the rear intermediate core 13b are formed after the formation of the first intermediate core 13a, only the rear intermediate core 13b is only exposed to air or the like, and the front second intermediate core 13a Deterioration due to oxidation or the like of the magnetic layer can be prevented, and reliability can be improved.

Here, a contact hole 11 is formed on the magnetic gap layer 10 so that the second intermediate core 13b is
However, even if the second intermediate core 13b has a structure in which the magnetic gap 10 is sandwiched, the contact hole 11 is not formed because the characteristics of the thin-film magnetic head are only slightly reduced. The structure, that is, the structure in which the magnetic gap 10 is interposed between the magnetic layer 9b and the magnetic layer 12b may be used (FIG. 10). In this case, the manufacturing process of the thin-film magnetic head is shortened, and the manufacturing yield is improved. In the above, the front second intermediate core 13a or
Although the magnetic gap layer 10 is formed between the rear second intermediate cores 13b, the same effect can be obtained by providing the magnetic gap layer 10 between the front first intermediate core 6a or the rear first intermediate core 6b. .

[0031]

According to the method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head of the present invention, the second magnetic layer and the magnetic gap layer can be formed continuously, so that it is possible to prevent the second magnetic layer from being deteriorated by oxidation or the like. it can. If the portion of the magnetic gap layer that overlaps the rear first intermediate core is not removed, the second magnetic layer, the magnetic gap layer, and the third magnetic layer can be formed at the same time, thereby further reducing the manufacturing process and yield. Can be prevented from decreasing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a step of forming an insulating layer and a magnetic layer on a substrate according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a step of forming a lower core according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a step of forming an insulating layer on both ends of a lower core according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a step of forming a first intermediate core according to the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a sectional view of a step of forming a first coil in the present invention. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 6A is a sectional view showing a step of forming a contact hole in the present invention. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 7A is a sectional view of a step of forming a magnetic layer in the present invention. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 8A is a sectional view of a step in a state where port trimming is performed in the present invention. (B) is b- of (a).
It is an arrow direction b view.

FIG. 9A is a sectional view of a thin-film magnetic head according to the present invention. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of the thin-film magnetic head in FIG. 7 when a rear first intermediate core has a magnetic gap layer.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional process of sequentially laminating an insulating layer and a magnetic layer on a substrate.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional process of forming a lower core.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional process of forming an insulating layer at both ends of a lower core.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional step of forming a first intermediate core.

FIG. 15A is a cross-sectional view of a conventional step of forming a first coil. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 16A is a sectional view of a step of forming a conventional auxiliary intermediate core. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 17A is a sectional view of a conventional step of removing a magnetic gap layer. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 18A is a cross-sectional view of a step of forming a conventional magnetic layer. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 19A is a cross-sectional view of a step in a state where conventional port trimming etching has been performed. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 20A is a sectional view of a step of forming a second coil in the related art. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

FIG. 21A is a sectional view of a conventional thin-film magnetic head. (B) is an bb direction arrow view of (a).

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... substrate, 2, 4, 5, 8, 12, 14, 16, 17,
19: insulating layer, 3a, 9, 12: magnetic layer, 3: lower core,
6a front first intermediate core, 6b rear first intermediate, 7 first coil, 10 magnetic gap layer, 11 contact hole, 13a front second intermediate core, 13b rear second intermediate Core, 15: Second coil, 18: Upper core

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A thin film comprising an upper and lower core, a front intermediate core and a rear intermediate core provided between the upper and lower cores, and a magnetic gap layer formed in the front intermediate core. In the method of manufacturing a magnetic head, a second magnetic layer and a magnetic gap layer made of an insulating film are sequentially laminated on a first magnetic layer constituting a part of a front intermediate core and a rear intermediate core, After forming the contact hole by etching away the magnetic gap layer in the
A third layer is formed on the magnetic gap layer and the contact hole.
Forming a second magnetic layer, the second magnetic layer, the magnetic gap layer, and the third magnetic layer other than the portion overlapping with the upper core and the lower core are removed by etching to the first magnetic layer; At the same time as forming the front intermediate core, the third magnetic layer and the second
And forming the rear intermediate core by etching away portions other than the magnetic layer. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second magnetic layer is formed on the first magnetic layer.
The second magnetic layer, the magnetic gap layer, and the third magnetic layer other than a portion overlapping the upper core and the lower core by sequentially laminating the magnetic gap layer and the third magnetic layer made of an insulating film.
Etching away the magnetic layer to the first magnetic layer,
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the front intermediate core and the rear intermediate core are formed.