Evaporation Deposition Write Pole Fabrication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for fabricating nanometer-scale write poles for data storage devices are unreliable due to issues with voids, non-uniformity, and degraded magnetic properties, particularly when using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) which results in compressive residual stress and high coercivity, unsuitable for high data density applications.

Innovation Solution

A deposition system that forms a write pole by depositing a dielectric layer, patterning it to create a trench, and filling it with magnetic material via evaporation deposition, which provides complete and uniform coverage even at high sidewall angles, using a damascene process and collimated evaporation to ensure high magnetic moments and reduced physical dimensions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is used to deposit magnetic material, then the deposition process can be performed, but it results in compressive residual stress, high coercivity, voids, and non-uniformity that degrade magnetic properties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemagnetic propertiesVSAvoidcompressive residual stress and high coercivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the deposition method from CVD to evaporation deposition, fundamentally altering the physical parameters of the deposition process. This parameter change eliminates compressive residual stress and high coercivity, producing magnetic layers with superior magnetic properties suitable for high data density storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the chemical vapor deposition mechanism with evaporation deposition, substituting one physical-chemical process with a different physical process. This substitution eliminates the harmful effects of CVD while achieving complete and uniform trench filling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Quantity of substance

If the trench width is reduced to increase data density, then high data density is achieved, but voids and non-uniformity drastically alter the operation of the data recording component

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata densityVSAvoidwrite pole uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The evaporation deposition process deposits magnetic material in excess to completely fill the narrow trench, ensuring no voids remain. This excessive action compensates for the difficulty of filling narrow trenches, achieving uniform write poles even at reduced widths for high data density

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the deposition method to evaporation deposition, which provides superior control over material deposition in narrow trenches. This parameter change enables precise filling of sub-25 nm trenches without voids, maintaining manufacturing precision at high data density

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Length of moving object

If the write pole physical dimensions are reduced for high data density, then data density increases, but constructing data recording components with small physical dimensions becomes difficult due to voids and non-uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewrite pole dimensionsVSAvoidfabrication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces CVD with evaporation deposition, substituting a chemical process with a physical vapor deposition process. This substitution dramatically improves ease of manufacture for nanometer-scale write poles, enabling reliable fabrication of components with dimensions less than 25 nm without voids or non-uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the deposition methodology to evaporation deposition, which provides better control over material placement at nanometer scales. This parameter change makes fabrication of small-dimension write poles reliable and reproducible, overcoming the difficulties of constructing data recording components at sub-25 nm dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method enables the formation of write poles with high structural integrity and magnetic characteristics suitable for high data density storage, overcoming the limitations of CVD by providing void-free, uniformly filled trenches with optimized magnetic properties.

Implementation Method 1

filling it with magnetic material via evaporation deposition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation deposition: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

The trench is subsequently filled with the evaporation deposition of a magnetic material to form a write pole

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical vapor deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Data Source

PatentUS9286917B1Write pole formed with evaporation deposition

Publication Date: 2016.03.15 SEAGATE TECH LLC

AI summary

A write pole may be formed by first depositing a dielectric layer onto a substrate and then patterning the dielectric layer to form a trench with a write pole shape. The trench is subsequently filled with the evaporation deposition of a magnetic material to form a write pole. The trench may have a greater depth dimension than width dimension.