Electric Gaps for Magnetic Transducer Sensor Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional magnetic recording transducers face challenges in achieving higher recording densities due to difficulties in fabricating additional read sensors with adequate electrical isolation, leading to insufficient insulation and increased spacing between sensors, which complicates their use in two-dimensional magnetic recording technology.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates multiple read sensors with electric gaps that provide both magnetic and electrical isolation, maintaining a flat topology and reducing capacitance, allowing for improved manufacturability and performance at higher data rates in TDMR systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electric gaps are used to electrically isolate read sensors, then electrical insulation is provided, but the topology becomes non-flat and fabrication of additional sensors becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The electric gap material is deposited and planarized before the read sensor layers are formed. This preliminary action ensures that the electric gap provides adequate electrical insulation while maintaining a flat topology from the outset, simplifying subsequent fabrication steps for adding multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) to change the topography parameter of the electric gap surface, transforming it from a non-flat structure to a flat surface. This allows the electric gap to maintain both its insulating function and a flat topology suitable for further sensor fabrication.
2Quantity of substance
If additional read sensors are fabricated above conventional electric gaps, then more sensors are available for TDMR, but the spacing between sensors becomes too large
Solution Approach 1:
By preparing the electric gap with a flat topology through CMP before sensor fabrication, the patent enables closer spacing between multiple read sensors. The flat surface allows subsequent sensor layers to be deposited with minimal additional spacing requirements, facilitating the creation of multiple sensors for TDMR applications.
3Reliability
If conventional electric gaps are used after planarization, then electrical isolation is achieved, but the topography varies and affects flatness
Solution Approach 1:
The electric gap material is deposited and planarized before any sensor layers are formed. This preliminary planarization action ensures that the electric gap itself provides a flat topology, which is then used as the foundation for subsequent sensor fabrication, eliminating topography variations that would otherwise affect sensor alignment and performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) and at least two read sensors. The magnetic transducer also includes a first read shield, a first read sensor, a middle shield, a second read sensor, a second read shield, a first electric gap and a second electric gap. The first read sensor is in a down track direction from the first read shield. The middle shield is in a down track direction from the first read sensor. The middle shield is between the first read sensor and the second read sensor. A first portion of the first electric gap is in a direction opposite to the down track direction from the first read sensor. The first read sensor and the second read sensor are between the first electric gap and the second electric gap in a cross-track direction.