JP5823895B2 - Manufacturing method of head using near-field light - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a head manufacturing method for recording and reproducing various information on a recording medium using near-field light, and the head.

  In recent years, an information recording / reproducing apparatus such as a hard disk drive in a computer device has been demanded to have a higher density in response to a need to record and reproduce a larger amount of high-density information. Therefore, in order to minimize the influence of adjacent magnetic domains and thermal fluctuation, it is considered to employ a recording medium having a strong coercive force. Therefore, it has been difficult to record information on the recording medium.

  Therefore, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, a magnetically assisted magnetic recording system in which the magnetic domain is locally heated using near-field light to temporarily reduce the coercive force and during which writing to the recording medium is performed. An information recording / reproducing apparatus has been devised and developed.

  A recording / reproducing head using near-field light (hereinafter referred to as a near-field light using head) generates a near-field light by receiving a recording magnetic field generator having a main magnetic pole and an auxiliary magnetic pole and a laser beam from an optical fiber. A near-field light generating element (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Each of these components is laminated in the order of the auxiliary magnetic pole, the near-field light generating element, and the main magnetic pole on the side surface of the slider fixed to the tip of the beam while being covered with the coating layer.

  When the near-field light using head configured as described above is used, various information is recorded on the recording medium by generating a near-field light and simultaneously applying a recording magnetic field. That is, when laser light is irradiated from the optical fiber, the laser light propagates through the optical waveguide of the coating layer and then reaches the near-field light generation layer. Then, in the near-field light generating layer, the internal free electrons are uniformly vibrated by the electric field of the laser light, so that the plasmon is excited to generate near-field light at the tip portion. As a result, the magnetic recording layer of the recording medium is locally heated by near-field light, and the coercive force temporarily decreases. Simultaneously with the irradiation of the laser beam, a recording magnetic field is locally applied to the magnetic recording layer of the recording medium adjacent to the main magnetic pole by supplying a drive current to the recording magnetic field generator. Thereby, various types of information can be recorded on the magnetic recording layer whose coercive force has temporarily decreased. That is, recording on a recording medium can be performed by the cooperation of near-field light and a magnetic field. The slider provided with the near-field light utilization head is configured to maintain an appropriate distance from the recording medium while receiving the wind pressure generated by the rotation of the recording medium and floating on the recording medium. Yes.

JP 2010-108584 A

  By the way, in the structure of the conventional near-field light using head as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the light emission position of the near-field light on the end face that generates the near-field light is sufficiently close to the main magnetic pole end. Although a near-field light generating element that can be installed is provided, the edge of the near-field light generating element (plasmon antenna) shown here extends so as to approach the main magnetic pole arranged on the outflow end side of the slider The manufacturing method is not fully disclosed about the structure which is carrying out.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to make the light emission position of the near-field light on the end face that generates the near-field light sufficiently close to the main magnetic pole end. It is an object to provide a manufacturing method of a near-field light using head having a near-field light generating element that can be installed, and a near-field light using head.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The manufacturing method of the near-field light using head according to the present invention includes a core that generates near-field light from the tip, and manufacturing the near-field light using head of the near-field light using head that irradiates the recording medium with near-field light. A method of forming a cladding base material film having a base, a first branch extending from the base, and a second branch extending obliquely with respect to the first branch from the base And etching the first branch, the second branch, and the base to form a first surface on the first branch and a second surface that is inclined with respect to the first surface on the second branch. A second etching step of forming an intersection where the first surface and the second surface intersect at the base, and forming a core base material in a space surrounded by the first surface, the second surface and the intersection, The first core surface, the second core surface and the core intersection opposite to each of the surface, the second surface and the intersection, and toward the tip of the core Those having a core forming step of forming a core having the core bottom which is formed so that the distance between the core 交辺 shrinks, the magnetic pole forming step of forming a magnetic pole facing the core bottom brought to.

  In the manufacturing method of the near-field light using head according to the present invention, the core intersection side of the core approaches the magnetic pole adjacent to the core as it approaches the tip of the core where the near-field light is generated. Therefore, the near-field light can be installed at a position sufficiently close to the magnetic pole. Therefore, the application of the magnetic field to the recording medium by the magnetic pole can be efficiently grasped at the timing of the temporary coercive force drop of the recording medium by the near-field light.

  Further, in the method for manufacturing a near-field light using head according to the present invention, the core forming step forms the first core of the core by forming a light shielding film on the first surface and the second surface and forming a core base material. A light shielding film forming step of forming a light shielding film on the surface and the second core surface.

  In the manufacturing method of the near-field light using head according to the present invention, since the light shielding film promotes the reflection of light and guides the light flux to the tip of the core, a high-performance near-field light using head can be easily manufactured at low cost. Can do.

Moreover, the manufacturing method of the near-field light utilization head which concerns on this invention has a grinding | polishing process in which a core formation process forms a core bottom face by grind | polishing the surface on the opposite side to the core intersection side of a core. In the manufacturing method of the near-field light using head according to the present invention, the joint surface between the core and the magnetic pole can be formed with high accuracy, and the generation position of the near-field light and the magnetic pole can be brought close to each other with high accuracy.
Further, in the method for manufacturing a near-field light using head according to the present invention, the core forming step forms the outer shape of the core by etching so as to divide the first core surface and the second core surface of the core. It has an etching process.

In the manufacturing method of the near-field light using head according to the present invention, the outer shape of the core can be easily formed.
The method for manufacturing a near-field light using head according to the present invention includes a metal film forming step of forming a metal film on the bottom surface of the core, and the magnetic pole forming step includes forming the magnetic pole on the metal film to form the core. A magnetic pole facing the bottom is formed.
In the manufacturing method of the near-field light using head according to the present invention, since the light shielding film reflects the light and irradiates the metal film, a high-performance near-field light using head can be easily manufactured at low cost.

  In the method for manufacturing a near-field light utilizing head according to the present invention, the second etching step includes etching by sputter etching using Ar gas.

  In the manufacturing method of the near-field light using head according to the present invention, a pattern having a triangular cross section can be easily formed.

Further, the near-field light using head according to the present invention has a clad base material film on which a core from which near-field light is generated is formed, and irradiates the recording medium with the near-field light, The clad base material film intersects the first surface, the second surface inclined with respect to the first surface, the intersecting side where the first surface and the second surface intersect, and the first surface, the second surface and the intersecting side. The first surface, the second surface, and the base surface are formed so as to face the core, and the intersecting side moves away from the surface on which the base surface exists as it approaches the tip of the core. It is formed as follows.
In the near-field light utilizing head according to the present invention, the core can be supported such that the clad base material film is installed so that the near-field light generation position is sufficiently close to the magnetic pole. Therefore, the application of the magnetic field to the recording medium by the magnetic pole can be efficiently grasped at the timing of the temporary coercive force drop of the recording medium by the near-field light.

  Providing a near-field light-use head and a near-field light-use head capable of efficiently capturing the magnetic field applied to the recording medium by magnetic poles at the timing of temporary coercivity drop of the record medium due to near-field light can do.

It is a block diagram which shows the information recording / reproducing apparatus carrying the near-field light utilization head based on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the head gimbal assembly shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the near-field light utilization head which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, and is sectional drawing which follows the AA 'line of FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of the vicinity of the main pole and the recording medium D in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the slider 2 as viewed from the ABS. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing method which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing method which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the core formed by the manufacturing method concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the near-field light utilization head which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the manufacturing method which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. In addition, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is an apparatus which writes with respect to the recording medium D which has a magnetic-recording layer with a heat-assisted magnetic recording system.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a suspension 3 to which a slider 2 is fixed is fixed to a carriage 11. The slider 2 and the suspension 3 are collectively referred to as a head gimbal assembly 12. The disc-shaped recording medium D is rotated in a predetermined direction by the spindle motor 7. The carriage 11 is rotatable about the pivot 10 and is rotated by an actuator 6 controlled by a control signal from the control unit 5, so that the slider 2 can be disposed at a predetermined position on the surface of the recording medium D. The housing 9 has a box shape made of aluminum or the like (in FIG. 1, the peripheral wall surrounding the periphery of the housing 9 is omitted for easy understanding), and the above components are stored therein. The spindle motor 7 is fixed to the lower part of the housing 9. The slider 2 includes a recording element (not shown) for generating a magnetic field toward the recording medium D, a light guide unit (not shown) for generating near-field light, and a reproducing element (for reproducing information recorded on the recording medium D). (Not shown). The recording element and the reproducing element are connected to the control unit 5 through the flexible wiring 13 laid along the suspension 3 and the carriage 11, the terminal 14 provided on the side surface of the carriage 11, and the flat cable 4.

  One recording medium D may be provided, but a plurality of recording media may be provided as shown in FIG. As the number of recording media D increases, the number of head gimbal assemblies 12 also increases. Although FIG. 1 shows a configuration in which the head gimbal assembly 12 is provided only on one side of the recording medium D, it may be provided on both sides. Therefore, the number of head gimbal assemblies 12 is at most twice the number of recording media D. Thereby, the recording capacity per information recording / reproducing apparatus can be increased.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the head gimbal assembly 12 according to the first embodiment. The suspension 3 includes a base plate 201 made of a thin stainless plate, a hinge 202, a load beam 203, and a flexure 204. The base plate 201 is fixed to the carriage 11 by mounting holes 201a provided in a part thereof. The hinge 202 connects the base plate 201 and the load beam 203. The hinge 202 is thinner than the base plate 201 and the load beam 203, and the suspension 3 is bent around the hinge 202. The flexure 204 is an elongate member fixed to the load beam 203 and the hinge 202, is thinner than the load beam 203 and the base plate 201, and is easily bent. A substantially rectangular parallelepiped slider 2 is fixed to the tip of the flexure 204.

  The surface opposite to the surface fixed to the flexure 204 in the surface of the slider 2 is a surface facing the recording medium D. This surface is a surface that generates a pressure for the slider 2 to rise from the viscosity of the air flow generated by the rotating recording medium D, and is called ABS (Air Bearing Surface). An uneven shape (not shown) is provided on the ABS, and a desired pressure distribution is generated between the slider 2 and the recording medium D. The slider 2 floats in a desired state due to the balance between the positive pressure for separating the slider 2 from the recording medium D, the negative pressure for attracting the slider 2 to the recording medium D, and the pressing force of the suspension 3. The minimum clearance between the recording medium D and the slider 2 is 10 nm or less. The pressing force by the suspension 3 is mainly generated by the elasticity of the hinge 202. Further, since the hinge 202 and the flexure 204 are bent with respect to the undulation of the surface of the recording medium D, a desired floating state can be maintained.

  Flexible wiring 13 is provided on the flexure 204. The flexure 204 has a substantially U-shaped opening, and the slider 2 is fixed on a pad portion 204a that is surrounded by the opening and has a tongue shape. Of the ends of the slider 2, the base side (carriage 11 side) of the suspension 3 is called an inflow end. The tip side of the opposite suspension 3 is called the outflow end of the slider 2. These are named based on the direction of the air flow by the recording medium D described above. The flexible wiring 13 extended from the base side of the suspension 3 branches into two from the middle, and is connected to the outflow end side of the slider 2 so as to go around the opening and both sides of the slider 2.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A ′ of FIG. 2. The slider 2 includes a slider base 301, a recording element, a light guide unit, a reproducing element 304, and a laser unit 501. On the side surface on the outflow end side of the slider base 301, a reproducing element 304, a recording element, and a light guiding part are stacked. A laser unit 501 is provided between the slider base 301 and the pad portion 204a. The laser unit 501 includes a laser substrate 502 and a laser 503. The laser 503 is an edge-emitting laser, the end surface from which the laser beam is emitted is substantially parallel to the ABS, and the laser 503 and the light guide are optically connected. The laser 503 is connected to the control unit 5 through the laser substrate 502 and the flexible wiring 13. The laser 503 emits light based on the electrical signal from the control unit 5. The slider base 301 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member and is made of an AlTiC material or the like.

  The recording element includes a sub magnetic pole 306 fixed to the side surface on the outflow end side of the reproducing element 304, and a main magnetic pole 310 connected to the sub magnetic pole 306 via a yoke 307 and applying a recording magnetic field perpendicular to the recording medium D. And a coil 308 that spirally winds around the yoke 307 around the yoke 307. The main magnetic pole 310, the sub magnetic pole 306, and the yoke 307 are made of a high saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) material (for example, CoNiFe alloy, CoFe alloy, etc.) having a high magnetic flux density. Further, the coil 308 is arranged so that there is a gap between adjacent coil wires, the yoke 307, the main magnetic pole 310, and the sub magnetic pole 306 so as not to be short-circuited. In this state, the clad 312 having insulation properties is provided. (Described later). The coil 308 is connected to the control unit 5 via the flexible wiring 13, and a current modulated according to information is supplied from the control unit 5. Therefore, the main magnetic pole 310, the sub magnetic pole 306, the yoke 307, and the coil 308 constitute an electromagnet as a whole. The main magnetic pole 310 and the sub magnetic pole 306 are designed so that the end surfaces facing the recording medium D are flush with the ABS of the slider 2.

  The light guide section includes a polyhedral core 311, a clad 312 that confines the core 311 inside, a metal film 315 and a light shielding film 314, which will be described later, and is formed in a substantially plate shape as a whole. The core 311 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the main magnetic pole 310 and the sub magnetic pole 306 and through the yoke 307 with one end side facing the flexure 204 side and the other end side facing the recording medium D side. Yes. The core 311 is made of a material that is optically transparent and has a higher refractive index than the clad 312. For example, the core 311 can be made of germanium-doped SiO2, and the clad 312 can be made of pure SiO2. Further, Ta 2 O 5 can be used for the core 311 and alumina can be used for the clad 312. If the laser light from the laser 503 is infrared light, silicon can be used for the core 311. A part of one end side of the core 311 is exposed from the clad 312 and is opposed to the emission end face of the laser 503, thereby realizing an optical connection between the light guide unit and the laser 503.

  The reproducing element 304 is a magnetoresistive film whose electric resistance is converted according to the magnitude of the magnetic field leaking from the recording medium D. A bias current is supplied to the reproducing element 304 from the control unit 5 via a lead film (not shown) and the flexible substrate 13. Thereby, the control unit 5 can detect a change in the magnetic field leaking from the recording medium D as a change in voltage, and can reproduce a signal from the change in voltage.

  A detailed structure in the vicinity of the core tip 311d and the main magnetic pole 310 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the main magnetic pole 310 near the recording medium D. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of FIG. 4 as viewed from the ABS side of the slider 2. The core 311 has a narrowing portion 311a in the vicinity of the recording medium D. The narrowing-down portion 311a has a triangular frustum shape with the main body 311b side of the core 311 as the bottom and the opening 311c exposed from the clad 312 facing the recording medium D as the top surface. Of the three side surfaces of the narrowed-down portion 311a, two side surfaces (the first core surface 311d and the second core surface 311e) are covered with a light shielding film 314. The narrowing portion 311a has a core intersection 311f where the first core surface 311d and the second core surface 311e intersect. One of the remaining three side surfaces of the narrowed-down portion 311a is covered with a metal film 315. The direction of the light beam propagating through the core 311 and the metal film 315 are arranged substantially in parallel. The opening 311c is flush with the ABS and is exposed toward the recording medium D. The metal film 315 is made of a material such as gold, silver, or platinum. The light shielding film 314 is made of a material such as aluminum, gold, silver, or platinum. Light emitted from the laser 503 is propagated inside the core 311, reflected by the light shielding film 314, converted to surface plasmon by the metal film 315, and converted to near-field light by the opening 311 c. The main magnetic pole 310 has a main magnetic pole tip 310a in the vicinity of the recording medium D. The main magnetic pole tip 310 a constitutes the tip side of the main magnetic pole 310. The end surface of the main magnetic pole tip 310a facing the recording medium D is flush with the ABS of the slider 2. The main magnetic pole tip 310 a is disposed along the metal film 315. Since the main magnetic pole tip 310a and the opening 311c are close to each other, the magnetic flux from the main magnetic pole tip 310a and the near-field light from the opening 311c are generated in close proximity.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the core 311, the narrowing portion 311 a, the light shielding film 314, and the metal film 315 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 7. First, as shown in FIG. 6A, a clad base material film 601 is formed on the slider base 301. The reproducing element 306 and the coil 308 are also appropriately formed on the slider base 301, but description thereof is omitted here. Although the processing of one element is shown here, a plurality of elements can be processed at once by using a substrate to which a plurality of slider bases 301 are connected. First, a resist pattern 602 having a Y-shape in plan view is formed on the clad base material film 601. The resist pattern 602 is formed by applying a photoresist on the entire surface of the clad base material film 601 and exposing and developing with a Y-shaped mask pattern.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the resist pattern 601 is transferred to the clad base material film 601 by etching. If the material of the clad base material film 601 is SiO2, it can be etched by RIE (reactive ion etching) using a CF-based gas. Thereafter, the remaining resist pattern 601 is removed using an organic solvent or acid. As a result, a pattern 601a having a Y-shape and a rectangular section in plan view is formed on the surface of the clad base material film 601. This is the first etching step. Here, the Y-shaped pattern 601a in plan view is referred to as a base portion 601d, a first branch portion 601e and a second branch portion 601f that are divided into two branches from one end of the base portion 601d.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the rectangular cross-section pattern 601a is processed into a triangular cross-section pattern 601b. For this, sputter etching using Ar gas is used. Thereby, the corners of the rectangular cross section of the pattern 601a are selectively etched and processed into a triangular cross section. This is the second etching step. The base portion 601d, the first branch portion 601e, and the second branch portion 601f all have a triangular cross section. The first branch portion 601e having a triangular cross section has a first surface 601g inclined with respect to the surface of the slider base portion 301. Similarly, the second branch portion 601f also has a second surface 601h that is inclined with respect to the surface of the slider base portion 301. The first surface 601g and the second surface 601h face each other with a certain angle. An intersection 601i where the first surface 601g and the second surface 601h intersect is formed on the base 601d. Accordingly, in the Y-shaped pattern 601b in plan view, the base of the Y-shaped bifurcated portion is an inclined V-groove 601c including the first surface 601g, the second surface 601h, and the intersecting side 601i.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6D, a light shielding film base material 603 and a core base material 604 are formed on the pattern 601b, and the surface is flattened by polishing. Of the flattened surface, the portion formed inside the inclined V groove 601c is the core bottom surface 311g. At this time, polishing is performed so that the light shielding film base material 603 is slightly exposed on the surface. Such a process is called a polishing process. A vacuum vapor deposition apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, or the like can be used to form the light shielding film base material 603. For forming the core base material 604, a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) apparatus or the like can be used. At this time, the light-shielding film base material 603 placed on the inclined V-groove 601c is formed on the light-shielding film 314, and the core base material 604 placed on the sloped V-groove 601c with the light-shielding film 314 interposed therebetween is formed on the narrowed portion 311a of the core 311. Is done. The first core surface 311d of the narrowed-down portion 311a is formed on the first surface 601g, the second core surface 311e is formed on the second surface 601h, and the core intersection 311f is formed so as to face the intersection 601i.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7A, the core base material 604 is processed to form the main body 311 b of the core 311. The main body 311b has a rectangular cross section unlike the narrowed-down portion 311a at the tip. Photolithography using a photoresist is used for processing the core base material 604. If the material of the core base material film 604 is SiO2, it can be etched by RIE (reactive ion etching) using a CF-based gas. At this time, a part of each of the clad base material 601 and the light shielding film base material 603 is also etched, and the processed surface has a protrusion having a rectangular cross section as a whole. This etching process is referred to as a third etching process. This etching is performed at a position where the first core surface 311d and the second core surface 311e are divided. By this etching, the outer side surface of the core 311 is formed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7B, a metal film 315 is formed on the core bottom surface 311g which is the surface opposite to the core intersection 311f of the narrowed-down portion 311a. The metal film 315 can be formed by forming a metal film such as Au on the entire processed surface by sputtering, vacuum deposition, or the like, and leaving the metal film near the narrowed portion 311a by photolithography. By this step, the core intersection 311f is formed with a certain inclination with respect to the core bottom surface 311g. The inclination is such that the distance between the core intersection 311f and the core bottom surface 311g decreases as it goes toward the tip of the core. The relationship between the core intersection 311f and the metal film 315 is also the same, and the metal film 315 is formed such that the distance between the core intersection 311f and the metal film 315 decreases as it goes toward the tip of the core. .

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, the upper clad 312b is formed so as to cover the lower clad 312a, the core base material 604, the main body 311b of the core 311, the light shielding film 314, and the metal film 315. Referring also to FIG. 3, at this time, the main magnetic pole 310 having the main magnetic pole tip 310a as the magnetic pole on the recording medium side (ABS side) is formed. First, a magnetic pole layer to be the main magnetic pole 310 is formed on the metal film 315, and the outer shape of the main magnetic pole tip 310a is formed by photolithography. At this time, a clad layer to be the upper clad 312b is formed at a portion other than the main magnetic pole tip 310a. Thereafter, a magnetic pole layer to be the main magnetic pole 310 and a cladding layer to be the upper clad 312b are formed, and photolithography is repeated to form a three-dimensional shape of the main magnetic pole 310. By this step, the main magnetic pole 310 having the main magnetic pole tip 310a adjacent to the metal layer 315 and the upper clad 312b covering the main magnetic pole 310 are formed. By this step, the core intersection 311f is formed with a certain inclination with respect to the main magnetic pole tip 310a. The inclination is such that the distance between the core intersection 311f and the main magnetic pole tip 310a is reduced toward the tip of the core. The upper clad 312b is formed so as to include the main magnetic pole 310, the metal film 315, the core base material 604 to be the core 311, and the light shielding film 314 by the lower clad 312a having the clad base material film 601. Next, cutting is performed so as to cross the long axis of the core 311 and polishing of the cut surface is performed to form the opening 311c. Through this process, the main magnetic pole tip 310a and the opening 311c are formed so as to be close to each other. The core intersection 311f is also formed close to the main magnetic pole tip 310a. The core intersection 311f is formed to be inclined so as to approach the main magnetic pole tip 310a as a magnetic pole as it goes toward the core tip. Therefore, the light beam propagating through the core is guided to be condensed on the opening 311c where the near-field light is generated by the inclination of the core intersection 311f and the first core surface 311d and the second core surface 311e. The The core intersection 311f is inclined toward the main magnetic pole tip 310a, and the opening 311c is formed at a position where the inclined core intersection 311f is closest to the main magnetic pole tip 310a. Therefore, the near-field light is generated by the inclination of the core intersection 311f and the first core surface 311d and the second core surface 311e, and the near-field light is generated from the opening 311c adjacent to the main magnetic pole tip 310a. It is possible to efficiently capture the timing of the temporary decrease in coercive force of the recording medium D by applying a magnetic field to the recording medium D by the main magnetic pole tip 310a.

  Here, the Y-shaped pattern 601b in plan view in FIG. 6 is a clad base material film, and includes a first surface 601g, a second surface 601h inclined with respect to the first surface 601g, a first surface 601g, and a second surface. It has an intersecting side 601i that intersects with the surface 601h, a first surface 601g, a second surface 601h, and a base surface 601k that intersects the intersecting side 601i, and the first surface 601g, the second surface 601h, and the base surface 601k The intersection 601i is formed so as to be away from the surface on which the base surface 601k exists as it approaches the tip of the core 311. Since the clad base material film is formed in such a shape, the tip of the core 311 can be formed in the space between the first surface 601g, the second surface 601h, and the intersection 601i, and the tip of the core 311 at the intersection 601i The main magnetic pole tip 310a can be formed on the opposite side of the electrode. Therefore, the core intersection 311f, which is the side of the core 311 facing the intersection 601i, comes closer to the main pole tip 310a as it approaches the tip of the core 311. That is, the near-field light that is guided to the core intersection 311f and generated from the core opening 311c approaches the main magnetic pole tip 310a. With such a configuration, the cladding base material film that can efficiently capture the timing of the temporary coercive force drop of the recording medium D due to near-field light can be efficiently applied to the recording medium D by the main magnetic pole tip 310a. It is formed.

  The shape of the core 311 manufactured in this way is shown in FIG. A narrowed portion 311a having a first core surface 311d, a second core surface 311e, and a core intersecting side 311f is provided at an end portion of the main body 311b having a rectangular cross section, and an end portion of the narrowed portion 311a is a triangular opening 311c. . The triangular opening 311c has one side of the first core surface 311d and the second core surface 311e with the core intersection 311f as one vertex. The base, which is a side different from one side of the first core surface 311d and the second core surface 311e, is the side closest to the main magnetic pole tip 310a. Since the light flux propagated through the core 311 is concentrated and localized at the bottom, it is possible to sufficiently secure the intensity of the near-field light generated from the opening 311c. Such a low side is adjacent to the main magnetic pole tip 310a with the metal film 315 interposed therebetween. Therefore, since the bottom on which the proximity light is localized is closest to the main magnetic pole tip 310a in the opening 311c, the local heating position of the recording medium D and the magnetic field application position to the recording medium D can be made closer. It becomes like this.

  According to this embodiment, the pattern 601b having a triangular cross section is formed once, and the light shielding film 314, the narrowing portion 311a, and the metal film 315 are formed thereon. Can be manufactured at cost. As a result, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 with good performance can be provided at low cost.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 9 and FIG.
FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the slider 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This corresponds to FIG. 3 of the first embodiment and has the structure shown in Patent Document 1. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the waveguide core is composed of a first core 901 and a second core 902. The first core 901 is a so-called surface plasmon antenna, which is made of a metal material such as Au, Ag, and Pt, and has a narrowing portion 901a having the same shape as that of the first embodiment. The first core 901 includes a narrowing part 901a and a main body 901b. The main body 901b has a quadrangular prism shape. One end of the second core 902 faces the semiconductor laser 503, and optical coupling between the semiconductor laser 503 and the second core 902 is realized. The other end side of the second core 902 is disposed so that the main body 901b of the first core 901 and the side surfaces of each other are in contact with each other. An insulating film 903 is formed between the narrowed portion 901a on the tip side of the first core and the tip of the magnetic pole 310. Note that the insulating film 903 can be omitted.

FIG. 10 shows a part of the manufacturing method of the slider 2 in the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram corresponding to FIGS. 6 and 7 in the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10A, a Y-shaped pattern 601b and a lower clad 312a in plan view are formed on the slider base 301 by processing a clad base material film. A second core 902 is embedded in advance in the lower cladding 312a. The reproducing element 306 and the coil 308 are also appropriately formed on the slider base 301, but description thereof is omitted here.
Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, a second core base material film 904 is formed on the pattern 601b, and the surface is polished until the pattern 601b is exposed or just before that, whereby the second core 901a is polished. Form. The second core 901a has a first core surface 901c, a second core surface 901d, and a core intersection 901e in the same manner as the narrowing portion 311a in the first embodiment.
Next, as shown in FIG. 10C, the main body 901b is formed by processing the second core 901a into a rectangular cross section. Thereafter, a main magnetic pole and the like are appropriately formed.

  According to the present embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, a near-field light utilizing head with good performance can be easily manufactured at low cost. As a result, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 with good performance can be provided at low cost.

  It should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes those in which various modifications are made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In other words, the configuration described in the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the process and structure which comprise 1st Embodiment and 2nd Embodiment can be combined suitably.

D Recording medium 1 Information recording / reproducing apparatus 2 Slider 3 Suspension 11 Carriage 12 Head gimbal assembly 13 Flexible wiring 204 Flexure 204a Pad portion 306 Sub magnetic pole 308 Coil 310 Main magnetic pole (magnetic pole)
311 Core 311c Opening 311d Narrowing-down part 312 Cladding 314 Light shielding film 315 Metal film 901 First core 902 Second core

Claims (6)

In a manufacturing method of a near-field light utilization head that has a core that generates near-field light from a tip and irradiates the recording medium with the near-field light,
A first etching step of forming a cladding base material film having a base, a first branch extending from the base, and a second branch extending obliquely with respect to the first branch from the base;
By etching the first branch, the second branch, and the base, a first surface is formed on the first branch, and a second surface that is inclined with respect to the first surface is formed on the second branch. A second etching step of forming a surface and forming an intersecting side where the first surface and the second surface intersect at the base,
A core base material is formed in a space surrounded by the first surface, the second surface, and the intersection, and the first core faces each of the first surface, the second surface, and the intersection. A core forming step of forming the core having a surface, a second core surface, and a core intersection, and a core bottom surface formed such that a distance between the core intersection and the core intersection decreases toward the tip;
A method of manufacturing a near-field light utilizing head, comprising: a magnetic pole forming step of forming a magnetic pole facing the core bottom surface.   The core forming step forms a light shielding film on the first surface and the second surface, and forms the core base material to form a light shielding film on the first core surface and the second core surface of the core. The manufacturing method of the near-field light utilization head of Claim 1 which has the light-shielding film formation process of forming.   3. The method of manufacturing a near-field light using head according to claim 2, wherein the core forming step includes a polishing step of forming the core bottom surface by polishing a surface of the core opposite to the core intersection.   The said core formation process has a 3rd etching process of etching so that the said 1st core surface and the said 2nd core surface of the said core may each be divided, and forming the external shape of the said core. The manufacturing method of the near-field light utilization head as described in any one of these. A metal film forming step of forming a metal film on the bottom surface of the core;
4. The near-field light utilizing head according to claim 1, wherein in the magnetic pole formation step, the magnetic pole facing the bottom surface of the core is formed by forming the magnetic pole on the metal film. 5. Manufacturing method.   The method of manufacturing a near-field light using head according to claim 1, wherein the second etching step is performed by sputter etching using Ar gas.

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