Chemical mechanical polish/planarization as an enabling technology has been used in the manufacturing of thin film magnetic heads. This has contributed to the rapid advancement of recording densitu. Due to its unique material and process requirements, the manufacturing of thin film heads presents different challenges for CMP as compared with its applications in the semiconductor industry. However, two fundamental requirments still remain the same, that is surface smootheness and planarity. Surface smootheness is important for building continuous thin layers. Planarity ensures the next level structure to be built with better control due to photolithography requirements. This paper will cover some aspects of the CMP applications in the thin film head applications. Future challenges will also be presented.
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