Method for Producing a Thin Film Magnetic Head Having an Improved Coil Conductor Layer

This invention relates to a thin film magnetic head employed in a magnetic disc, magnetic tape or floppy disc apparatus. More particularly, it relates to an improved conductor layer employed in the thin film magnetic head.

Heretofore, a conductor layer of Cu has been employed in a coil of a thin film magnetic head having a plurality of superimposed layers.

On the other hand, JP Patent KOKAI Publication No. 1-64107 (1989) contains a description to the effect that a Ti layer is formed by sputtering between the conductor layer and an insulating layer at a substrate temperature of not lower than 100.degree. C.

However, the Cu layer has a drawback that, when it is patterned to a coil shape by photolithography and ion milling, surface irregularities are produced on the coil conductor surface during ion milling, which irregularities ultimately produce surface irregularities on the gap surface to deteriorate electro-magnetic conversion characteristics of the magnetic head. For obviating such drawback, it has heretofore been necessary to eliminate these surface irregularities by highly selective ion etching employing a reactive gas during formation of the gap surface.

However, the above method relying on the reactive ion etching not only complicates the process but presents environmental problems because the gas used therein is generally flon type gas, which is a fluorine substitution product of, for example, methane or ethane, additionally containing chlorine.

On the other hand, it is possible with the above described method according to JP Patent KOKAI Publication No. 1-84107 (1989) to diminish the above mentioned surface irregularities by providing a Ti layer between the conductor layer and the insulating layer by sputtering or the like.

However, with this method, since the Ti layer and the Cu layer border on each other, Ti is reacted with Cu to raise the electrical resistance significantly if the temperature is raised to not lower than 450.degree. C. after formation of the conductor layer. For this reason, the overall process temperature has to be set to at least not higher than about 450.degree. C. Thus a magnetic layer, which should produce superior properties by heat treatment at higher temperatures, cannot be used at least as an upper magnetic layer.

In view of the above described status of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thin film magnetic head with which a flat gap surface may be formed without employing reactive gases and which has excellent electro-magnetic properties capable of withstanding a processing at elevated temperatures.

According to the present invention, the above object may be accomplished by a thin film magnetic head in which at least a magnetic layer, a conductor layer constituting a coil and an insulating layer (or layers) are formed and patterned to a predetermined shape on a substrate, wherein the conductor layer consists essentially of a Cu--Ag alloy.

Preferably, the conductor layer has a compositional formula of

where

in terms of atomic percent.

As the amount of Ag in the conductor layer becomes smaller than 0.1 atomic percent, the surface irregularities on the gap surface become increasingly larger. With the amount of Ag in the conductor layer preferably of 1 atomic percent and more preferably 1 to 6 atomic percent, the meritorious effect of the present invention may be displayed satisfactorily. It is thought that similar meritorious effects may also be achieved with the amount of Ag of up to 10 atomic percent in the conductor layer.

Meritorious Effect of the Invention

Since a conductor layer constituting a coil of a thin film magnetic head of the present invention is substantially formed of a Cu--Ag alloy, a flat gap surface is produced. In addition, the thin film magnetic head exhibits excellent electro-magnetic conversion characteristics even after it is heat-treated at elevated temperatures.

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the relation between the amount of Ag in the coil conductor layer and the level of surface irregularities on the surface of a SiO.sub.2 layer following removal of the coil conductor layer by etching.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the relation between the amount of Ag in the coil conductor layer and resistivity of the coil conductor layer.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relation between the heat-treatment temperature of ,the coil conductor layer and resistivity of the coil conductor layer following heat treatment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a thin film magnetic head in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, including substrate 1, magnetic layer 2, insulating layer 3 and coil conductor layer 4.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, further showing gap 5 and gap surface 6.

In the following the present invention will be further disclosed in more detail with reference to the preferred embodiments.

Two sets of samples were produced, each sample set being formed of a plurality of samples each composed of a sapphire substrate on which SiO.sub.2 is formed to a thickness of 2 .mu.m on which a Cu--Ag alloy coil conductor layer having one of various compositions as shown in Table 1 is formed.

For film formation, a predetermined number of Ag chips, each 1 square centimeter in size, were placed on a Cu target of 8 inches in diameter, and processed by a RF magnetron sputtering at a cathode power of 1,000 W, a sputtering gas pressure of 0.2 Pa and a substrate temperature of 150.degree. C.

Each sample of one of the sample sets was processed by etching for a predetermined time interval by ion milling at an acceleration voltage of 700 V and an incident angle of 0 degree about a normal line drawn to the sapphire substrate to remove the Cu--Ag alloy and expose the SiO.sub.2 surface, and surface irregularities on the exposed surface which corresponds to a gap surface were measured with the aid of a needle contact probe type step level meter. Each sample of the remaining sample set was heat-treated at various temperatures and resistivity of the coil conductor layer thereof was measured at each of the heat-treatment temperatures. Finally, the samples were analyzed as to the compositions. The results are shown on Table 1.

A sample was formed in the same manner as in EXAMPLES above except that the coil conductor layer was free of Ag, that is, it was formed only of Cu and hence compositional analysis was unnecessary (Comparative Example 1). Similarly, a sample was formed in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1 above except that a Ti film of 0.05 .mu.m thick was formed on each side of the Cu film under the same film forming conditions as those for the Cu film to provide a coil conductor layer (Comparative Example 2). These samples were measured as to surface irregularities following etching and as to resistivity of the coil conductor layer. The results are shown on Table 2.

With the sample of Comparative Example 1, surface irregularities become excessive although the resistivity remains stable up to a higher temperature. With the sample of Comparative Example 2, the resistivity is increased acutely when heat-treated at higher temperatures of not lower than 450.degree. C. although the surface irregularities are fairly insignificant. In contrast thereto, fairly insignificant surface irregularities and low resistivity following heat treatment at elevated temperatures are produced with any of the samples of the EXAMPLES according to the present invention.

That is, according to the present invention, the resistivity of not more than about 2 .mu..OMEGA.cm even after heat treatment at 450.degree. C. to 550.degree. C. is achieved in accordance with the improved level of surface irregularities (i.e., surface smoothness) which stands at most 350 Rmax .ANG. at a minimum Ag concentration, preferably 100 Rmax .ANG. or below at a Ag concentration of about 1 atomic percent or more up to about 6 atomic percent.

It should be noted that modifications may be done without departing from the gist and scope herein disclosed and claimed in the appended claims.