FABRICATION OF FILM HEADS WITH HIGH MOMENT MATERIALS

The need for film heads made with high moment magnetic materials stems from the desire to write high coercivity recording media, which provi de short transition zones between magnetized regions, enabling high re cording densities. A high magnetic moment delays saturation near the g ap edges and an associated broadening of the head's writing field. Man y different high moment film materials are under consideration. These include high moment permalloy films (Ni45Fe55), amorphous cobalt-based films (CoZrTa, CoZrRe), and iron-based films (Fe(N), FeAlN). The adva ntages and disadvantages of each of these materials will be reviewed i n terms of manufacturing deposition techniques and important magnetic and nonmagnetic properties, such as hardness and wear. Manufacturing p roblems include the need to maintain properties while depositing films on sloping head surfaces and to control the head's trackwidth dimensi on to submicron tolerances. (C) 1998 Acta Metallurgica Inc.