Method of depositing thin films for magnetic heads

Abstract

A structure and method of fabricating a magnetic read head, comprises forming a fill layer for a magnetic read head gap using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The fill layer comprises an insulator, preferably aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, mixtures thereof and layered structures thereof. Materials having higher thermal conductivity than aluminum oxide, such as berylium oxide and boron nitride, can also be employed in layers within an aluminum oxide structure. The thickness of the ALD-formed head gap fill layer is between approximately 5 nm and 100 nm, preferably between approximately 10 nm and 40 nm.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A magnetic read head, comprising an ALD-formed head gap fill layer selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, mixtures thereof and layered structures thereof.  
     
     
         2 . The magnetic read head of  claim 1  wherein the ALD-formed head gap fill layer has a thickness of between approximately 5 nm and 100 nm.  
     
     
         3 . The magnetic read head of  claim 1  wherein the ALD-formed head gap fill layer has a thickness of between approximately 10 nm and 40 nm.  
     
     
         4 . The magnetic read head of  claim 1  wherein the ALD-formed head gap fill layer has a thickness variation of less than about 2%.  
     
     
         5 . The magnetic read head of  claim 1  wherein the ALD-formed head gap fill layer overlies a magnetic shield layer.  
     
     
         6 . The magnetic read head of  claim 5  wherein the magnetic shield layer comprises nickel-iron.  
     
     
         7 . The magnetic read head of  claim 1  wherein the ALD-formed head gap fill layer overlies a barrier layer.  
     
     
         8 . The magnetic read head of  claim 7  wherein the barrier layer comprises tantalum.  
     
     
         9 . The magnetic read head of  claim 1  comprising a magnetic sensing element selected from the group consisting of GMR (giant magnetoresistive), CMR (colossal magnetoresistive) and TMR (tunneling magnetoresistive) sensors.  
     
     
         10 . The magnetic read head of  claim 1  wherein the magnetic read head comprises a spin valve structure.  
     
     
         11 . A magnetic read head gap fill material, comprising a structure of aluminum oxide mixed with a compound with a higher thermal conductivity than aluminum oxide.  
     
     
         12 . The gap fill material of  claim 11  wherein the compound with high thermal conductivity is selected from the group consisting of beryllium oxide and boron nitride.  
     
     
         13 . The gap fill material of  claim 11  wherein the structure comprises alternated layers of aluminum oxide and the compound with a higher thermal conductivity.  
     
     
         14 . A magnetic read head with a head gap fill layer comprising aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen, the head gap fill layer having an as-deposited thickness variation of less than about 2%.  
     
     
         15 . The magnetic read head of  claim 14  wherein the gap fill layer comprises Al 2 O 3  and AlN phases.  
     
     
         16 . The magnetic read head of  claim 14  wherein the gap fill layer comprises Al 2 O 3  and AlN layers.  
     
     
         17 . The magnetic read head of  claim 14  wherein the gap fill layer comprises the ternary phase, Al x O y N z .