초록 ▼

A recording head pole production process, and a pole made by the process, in which a combination of wet and dry etching steps are utilized to advantageously provide an undercut in the relatively high magnetic moment material beneath a photoresist area used to define the pole such that any re-deposit

A recording head pole production process, and a pole made by the process, in which a combination of wet and dry etching steps are utilized to advantageously provide an undercut in the relatively high magnetic moment material beneath a photoresist area used to define the pole such that any re-deposited layer of material which occurs on the sides of the pole and photoresist area during the dry etching operation is advantageously rendered substantially discontinuous, or weakly linked, and the re-deposited material remaining on the pole itself following a photoresist strip can then be removed by being subjected to a stream of gaseous particles and ultimately carried away by the accompanying gas stream itself. In a particular embodiment disclosed herein the relatively high magnetic moment material may comprise a sputter deposited layer of cobalt-zirconium-tantalum (CoZrTa), iron-aluminum-nitride (FeAlN), iron-tantalum-nitride (FeTaN), iron-nitride (FeN) or similar materials. The stream of gaseous particles may be formed utilizing the expansion of a gaseous material, such as liquid carbon dioxide (CO2), through a nozzle directed at the re-deposited material remaining on the pole following the photoresist strip operation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A thin film device having re-deposited material thereon formed during prior processing operations removed by a process comprising:providing a source of gaseous material; and directing said gaseous material through a nozzle directed toward said thin film device to produce particles and an associat

1. A thin film device having re-deposited material thereon formed during prior processing operations removed by a process comprising:providing a source of gaseous material; and directing said gaseous material through a nozzle directed toward said thin film device to produce particles and an associated gas comprising said gaseous material, said re-deposited material being respectively removed and carried away from said device structure by said particles and associated gas, wherein said re-deposited material comprises a magnetic moment material that is substantially discontinuous to facilitate removal with said particles and associated gas, and wherein said magnetic moment material is a high magnetic moment material with a magnetic moment of at least a magnetic moment of cobalt-zirconium-tantalum, iron-aluminum-nitide, iron-tantalum-nitride or iron-nitride.