JPH11191276A - Magnetic head slider - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: A magnetic head slider aims at achieving a low flying height and preventing attraction to a magnetic disk. A magnetic disk (1) has a floating rail (2) on a surface facing the magnetic disk (1) and an electromagnetic conversion element (4) at an airflow outflow end (3).
A magnetic head slider having a protrusion 5 on the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2, wherein the height of the protrusion toward the magnetic disk 1 is such that the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 and the electromagnetic transducer 4
Of the magnetic pole surface 4a and the protrusion 5 in this order.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a conventional example of a magnetic head slider. In this conventional example, the magnetic head slider has a flying rail 2 facing the magnetic disk 1 in a longitudinal direction when the magnetic head slider is incorporated in a magnetic disk device. The magnetic head slider flies above the magnetic disk 1 by the action of the air flow generated by the rotation of the magnetic disk 1, and the air flow outflow end 3
The magnetic disk 1 is moved by the electromagnetic transducer 4 disposed in the vicinity.
To access. In order to prevent adsorption at the time of landing on a CSS (contact start / stop) zone, it is effective to reduce the contact area with the magnetic head slider. Is provided with a projection 5. As shown in FIG.
In order to effectively prevent attraction while in contact with the magnetic disk 1, for example, the height H of the protrusion 5 needs to be at least about 20 nm for a smooth surface having a Ra (center average line roughness) of 2 nm or less. It has been experimentally confirmed that below this, the adsorption preventing effect is not exhibited.

[0002]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following disadvantages. That is, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), the flying height δ of the magnetic head slider is changed so that the flying height at the air flow inflow end 7 side is higher than that at the air flow outflow end 3 side. In the case of further lowering, the protrusion 5 on the air flow outflow end 3 side interferes with the surface of the magnetic disk 1. In this case, it is necessary to raise the pitch angle of the slider to reduce the flying height, but this is disadvantageous in terms of flying balance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic head slider capable of achieving a low flying height and preventing attraction to a magnetic disk.

[0004]

According to the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic disk having a floating rail on an opposed surface, an air flow outflow end provided with an electromagnetic conversion element, and a rail of the floating rail. A magnetic head slider having a protrusion 5 on a surface 2a, wherein the height of the protrusion toward the magnetic disk 1 increases in the order of the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2, the magnetic pole surface 4a of the electromagnetic transducer 4, and the protrusion 5. This is achieved by providing a slider.

When the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 is used as a reference, the height of the magnetic pole surface 4a and the protrusion 5 in the direction of the magnetic disk 1 increases in this order. As described above, the difference in height between the protrusion 5 and the magnetic pole surface 4a affects the flying height, and the difference in height between the protrusion 5 and the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 affects suction. If the projection height H is too high with respect to the pole face 4a,
The protrusion 5 abuts against the surface of the magnetic disk 1 when the floating posture is set to the front rising inclination. Reaching on the rail surface 2a of the rail 2 causes suction. In the present invention, the height of the magnetic pole surface 4a is set to a middle position, and the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 is arranged at a lower position, that is, at a height away from the surface of the magnetic disk 1, and a position higher than the magnetic pole surface 4a, that is, The protrusion 5 is arranged at a height close to the surface of the magnetic disk 1. Thereby, the height of the pole face 4a and the protrusion 5
The height difference between the projection 5 and the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 can be set large even if the height difference is reduced to reduce the flying height, and suction can be prevented at the same time. .

In the magnetic head slider, the surface of the slider 6 on which the electromagnetic transducer 4 is formed on one side wall surface is formed with the area where the protrusions 5 are formed and the electromagnetic transducer 4 is formed.
Excluding the peripheral region of the magnetic pole surface 4a, the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 facing the magnetic disk 1 is formed;
Thereafter, a protective layer is laminated on the surface of the projection 5 formation region to form the projection 5
Can be manufactured by the manufacturing method of the magnetic head slider described above.

[0007]

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. The magnetic head slider has flying rails 2 and 2 ′ on the surface facing the magnetic disk 1. The floating rail 2 is positioned at both sides and the center of the air flow inflow end 7 so that the floating rail 2 floats at an appropriate height above the magnetic disk 1 when air flows in the direction of arrow A in FIG. And an inclined surface 8 is formed at the air flow inflow end 7.

[0008] Projections 5 are formed on the floating rails 2 on both sides. The size of the protrusion 5 is so small that the contact area with the surface of the magnetic disk 1 does not cause adsorption, and that the protrusion 5 is not easily worn by friction with the magnetic disk 1. Although the width is about 300 μm, it is formed in a columnar shape having a diameter of about 50 to 70 μm. As described above, the projections 5 need to have a sufficient height to exhibit the adsorption preventing effect. For example, the minimum for the magnetic disk 1 having a surface roughness Ra of about 2 nm is required. The protrusion height H is about 20 nm, and about 30 nm in consideration of a margin. The two protrusions 5 are arranged on the air flow inflow end 7 and the air flow outflow end 3, respectively. However, the number, position, and arrangement of the protrusions 5 can be appropriately changed.

In the initial stage of flying from the CSS zone, a moment in the forward rotation direction is applied to the magnetic head slider, and the protrusion 5 on the air flow inflow end 7 slides on the magnetic disk 1. For this reason, the protrusion 5 on the air flow inflow end 7 side tends to be more worn than the protrusion 5 on the air flow outflow end 3 side.
When the effective protrusion height of the protrusion 5 is reduced due to the wear of the protrusion 5, suction occurs. Therefore, the protrusion height of the protrusion 5 on the air flow inflow end 7 side with a large amount of wear is compared with the air flow outflow end 3 side. It is desirable to raise it. Further, by forming the protrusion height of the protrusion 5 on the air flow inflow end 7 side higher than the air flow outflow end 3 side, the floating start time can be shortened. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the protrusion 5 on the air flow inflow end 7 side is extended from the flat portion to the inclined surface 8 side, the base edge of the inclined surface 8 when the magnetic head slider is inclined forward in the initial stage of flying. 8a can be prevented from contacting the magnetic disk 1. Further, FIG.
As shown in FIG.
In this case, even if the protrusions 5 are worn, there is no danger of suction because the contact area with the magnetic disk 1 is small. When the cut 9 targets the magnetic disk 1 having a surface roughness Ra of about 2 nm, several cuts 9 having a cut 9 depth d = 30 nm and a cut 9 width w = 30 nm are provided. The direction of the cut 9 can be provided along the longitudinal direction of the floating rail 2 as shown in FIG. 4, but may be formed in a ring shape so as to surround the projection 5.

An electromagnetic transducer 4 is formed at the air flow outflow end 3 of the magnetic head slider so that the magnetic pole surface 4a faces the magnetic disk 1. The floating rail 2 is around the magnetic pole face 4a.
From the rail surface 2a toward the magnetic disk 1 side,
As shown in FIG. 2A, the projection height of the magnetic pole surface 4a is made lower than that of the projection 5 so that the magnetic pole surface 4a does not contact the magnetic disk 1 when landing on the magnetic disk 1.

A method for manufacturing the above-described magnetic head slider will be described. The magnetic head slider is made of alumina-titanium carbide (Al ₂ O ₃ TiC) as shown in FIG.
After forming a plurality of electromagnetic transducers 4, 4,... Using a thin film process on a ceramic wafer 60, as shown in FIG. Are cut into rods arranged in a line, and further, a cut surface on the side of the magnetic pole surface 4a of each rod (FIG. 6B)
The flying rail 2 is formed on the surface A), and each rod is separated into a slider shape. As shown in FIG. 1, when the inclined surface 8 is formed on the side of the air flow inflow end 7, chamfering is performed on the edge of the rod after the cutting step into the rod and before the step of forming the floating rail 2. .

FIG. 5 shows a process of forming the floating rail 2 on the rod-shaped body. First, an adhesion layer 10a having a thickness of about 2 nm is formed by sputtering Si or SiC on the floating rail forming surface of the rod-shaped body, and a protective layer 10b is further formed thereon.
Are laminated (see FIG. 5A). The protective layer 10b is made of diamond-like carbon (DLC) formed by a plasma CVD method and has a thickness of about 20 nm.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5B, a resist 10c is applied on the protective layer 10b. The resist 10 c includes protrusions 5 on the air flow inflow end 7 side and the air flow outflow end 3 side, and the electromagnetic conversion element 4.
Is formed in the formation region. As shown in FIG. 1A, a resist is applied to the island-shaped region in the electromagnetic conversion element forming region. Next, the resist non-applied area is etched by ion milling (see FIG. 5C). The ion milling is performed until the height H from the bottom wall to the tip of the protrusion 5 becomes about 30 nm, that is, until the slider 6 is dug about 10 nm, and the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 is formed. It is dug to the extent and becomes the base end surface 2b of the floating rail 2 (see FIG. 1C). After this, FIG.
As shown in (d) and (e), the protective layer 10b covering the magnetic pole surface 4a of the electromagnetic transducer 4 is removed, and the protrusion 5 and the magnetic pole surface 4a are removed.
And different heights. Protective layer 10b of electromagnetic transducer 4
Is removed by masking the projection 5 and then performing etching by oxygen plasma treatment. Since the oxygen plasma etching does not etch the silicon-based adhesion film under the protective layer 10b, only the DLC protective layer 10b is etched in this step. Electromagnetic transducer 4
The adhesion layer 10a remaining in the installation region functions as a protective film for the pole face 4a.

The surface of the magnetic head slider obtained as described above facing the surface of the magnetic disk 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (c), the rail surface 2a of the flying rail 2 is at the lowest position, and the tip of the protrusion 5 and the magnetic pole surface 4a are located at positions higher than that. An adhesion layer 10a also serving as a protective film is formed on the surface of the magnetic pole face 4a, and the adhesion layer 10a and the protection layer 10b are laminated on the projection 5, and the surface of the projection 5 is formed by the amount of the protection layer 10b. It is located higher than the surface 4a.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when stationary on the magnetic disk 1, the projection 5 is in contact with the magnetic disk 1 as shown in FIG. 5 is the rail surface 2 of the floating rail 2
Since it protrudes from a at a protrusion height of at least 20 nm or more, adsorption can be completely prevented. FIG. 2 (b)
As shown in FIG. 7, even in the flying posture from the magnetic disk 1, since the height change between the magnetic pole and the protrusion 5 is small, the protrusion 5
Does not collide with the magnetic disk 1 and the flying height δ can be reduced.

The thickness of the protective film and the like and the height of the protrusions 5 and the like shown in the present embodiment are determined by the magnetic disk 1 used.
Can be appropriately changed in consideration of Ra.

[0016]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a low flying height can be achieved, and the attraction to the magnetic disk can be completely prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a front view as viewed from a surface on which a flying rail is formed, FIG. 1B is a side view, FIG. 1C is an explanatory diagram showing a landing posture on a magnetic disk, and FIG. 1C-1 of (a)
It is a C line sectional view.

2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating an operation of the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a landing state, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a flying state.

3A and 3B are views showing a modification of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 3A is a front view as viewed from a surface on which a floating rail is formed, and FIG.
It is a 3B line sectional view.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are views showing another modification of FIG. 1, in which FIG. 4A is a front view as viewed from a surface on which a floating rail is formed, and FIG.
It is a B-4B line sectional view.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a step of forming a rail surface.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a manufacturing process of the thin-film magnetic head;
FIG. 1 is an overall view of a wafer, and FIG.

7A and 7B are views showing a conventional example, wherein FIG. 7A is a front view as viewed from a flying rail forming surface side, FIG. 7B is an explanatory view showing a landing posture on a magnetic disk, and FIG. It is.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Magnetic disk 2 Flying rail 2a Rail surface 3 Air flow outflow end 4 Electromagnetic conversion element 4a Magnetic pole surface 5 Projection 6 Slider

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic head slider having a flying rail on a surface facing a magnetic disk, an electromagnetic conversion element at an outflow end of an air flow, and a projection on a rail surface of the flying rail. The protrusion height is the rail surface of the floating rail,
A magnetic head slider that becomes higher in the order of the magnetic pole surface of the electromagnetic transducer and the projection. 2. The surface of a slider in which an electromagnetic transducer is formed on one side wall is dug except for a projection forming area and a peripheral area of a magnetic pole face of the electromagnetic transducer to form a rail surface of a flying rail facing a magnetic disk. A method of manufacturing a magnetic head slider that forms a projection and then forms a projection by laminating a protective layer on the surface of the projection forming region.