Thin-film magnetic head wafer and manufacturing method of thin-film magnetic head

Abstract

A thin-film magnetic head wafer with a surface to be exposed by means of an optical stepper includes a plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements formed on the surface, and distance check regions that are flat in level and horizontal to the surface of the wafer, at least one of the distance check regions being formed on the surface within one exposure area of the optical stepper.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A thin-film magnetic head wafer with a surface to be exposed by means of an optical stepper, said wafer comprising: 
 a plurality of thin-film magnetic head elements formed on said surface; and    distance check regions that are flat in level and horizontal to said surface of said wafer, at least one of said distance check regions being formed on said surface within one exposure area of said optical stepper.    
     
     
         2 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said distance check regions comprise a region for checking focus of said optical stepper with respect to said wafer.  
     
     
         3 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said region for checking focus is formed only one within one exposure area of said optical stepper.  
     
     
         4 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said region for checking focus is formed a t center portion of said one exposure area of said optical stepper.  
     
     
         5 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said distance check regions comprise regions for checking leveling of said wafer with respect to said optical stepper.  
     
     
         6 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of regions for checking leveling are formed within one exposure area of said optical stepper.  
     
     
         7 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said regions for checking leveling are formed at bordering portions in said one exposure area of said optical stepper.  
     
     
         8 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said regions for checking leveling are formed to be split across a boundary between said exposure area and an adjacent exposure area of said optical stepper.  
     
     
         9 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said wafer has a reference surface, and wherein said distance check regions have surfaces with a level equal to that of said reference surface of said wafer.  
     
     
         10 . The wafer as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said wafer has a reference surface, and wherein said distance check regions have surfaces with a level equal to that of a thin-film layer or thin-film layers deposited on said reference surface of said wafer.  
     
     
         11 . A manufacturing method of thin-film magnetic heads on a wafer with a surface to be exposed by means of an optical stepper, said method comprising the steps of: 
 forming distance check regions that are flat in level and horizontal to said surface of said wafer, at least one of said distance check regions being formed on said surface within one exposure area of said optical stepper; and    checking a distance between said optical stepper and said surface to be exposed by using at least one of said formed distance check regions.    
     
     
         12 . The manufacturing method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said checking step comprises a step of checking focus of said optical stepper with respect to said surface of said wafer by using one of said formed distance check regions.  
     
     
         13 . The manufacturing method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said checking step comprises a step of checking leveling of said surface of said wafer with respect to said optical stepper by using of said formed distance check regions.  
     
     
         14 . The manufacturing method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said wafer has a reference surface, and wherein said forming step comprises a step of inhibiting formation of thin-film layer on said distance check regions so that the distance check regions have surfaces with a level equal to that of said reference surface of said wafer.  
     
     
         15 . The manufacturing method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said wafer has a reference surface, and wherein said forming step comprises a step of depositing a flat thin-film layer or flat thin-film layers on said distance check regions so that the distance check regions have surfaces with a level equal to that of a thin-film layer or thin-film layers deposited on said reference surface of said wafer.