Electrolysis: processes – compositions used therein – and methods – Electrolytic coating – Depositing predominantly single metal or alloy coating on...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-20
2003-07-29
King, Roy (Department: 1742)
Electrolysis: processes, compositions used therein, and methods
Electrolytic coating
Depositing predominantly single metal or alloy coating on...
C205S103000, C205S104000, C205S105000, C205S922000, C205S238000, C205S255000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06599411
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for electroplating nickel-iron components of devices such as magnetic heads, and more particularly to methods for altering the composition of a plated nickel-iron component during the electroplating process by altering the electroplating process parameters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices, such as magnetic heads, include various components that are composed of a NiFe compound. Such components include magnetic shields and magnetic pole pieces. While these components are composed of a NiFe compound, the differing applications and purposes that these components fulfill are advantageously achieved with differing NiFe compositions; that is compositions in which the atomic percent of Ni and Fe differ. For instance, NiFe 80/20 (permalloy) is generally suited best for magnetic shields and magnetic poles, while NiFe 45/55 is a preferable composition for a P2 pole tip piece.
Typically, where various components composed of NiFe 45/55 and NiFe 80/20 are desired in a device, two separate plating baths are utilized, each having a different chemical makeup. The present invention is a method for using a single plating bath and selecting or altering the composition of the plated NiFe component by selecting or altering the electroplating process parameters. A component having a particular NiFe composition or a graduated NiFe composition can thereby be plated from a single electroplating bath in a single electroplating process of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the NiFe electroplating method of the present invention, the atomic percent (at. %) composition of Ni and Fe in NiFe electroplated material is controlled by selection of the duty cycle of the electroplating current during the electroplating process. Generally, for a particular electroplating bath, where the electroplating current duty cycle is greatest the NiFe electroplated material has a higher Fe at. %, and where the electroplating current duty cycle is reduced, a lower Fe at. %. Therefore, electroplated NiFe components from a single electroplating bath can have differing NiFe concentrations where the electroplating current duty cycle is altered. Additionally, NiFe components can be electroplated with a graduated or changing Ni and Fe concentration by altering the electroplating current duty cycle during the electroplating process.
It is an advantage of the electroplating process of the present invention that NiFe components having differing concentrations of Ni and Fe can be electroplated from a single NiFe electroplating bath.
It is another advantage of the electroplating process of the present invention that NiFe components having differing concentrations of Ni and Fe can be electroplated from a single NiFe electroplating bath, utilizing a differing duty cycle of the electroplating current.
It is a further advantage of the electroplating process of the present invention that an NiFe component can be electroplated with a graduated concentration of Ni and Fe.
It is yet another advantage of the electroplating process of the present invention that an NiFe component can be electroplated with a graduated concentration of Ni and Fe, wherein the duty cycle of the electroplating current is changed during the electroplating process.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description which makes reference to the several figures of the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4652348 (1987-03-01), Yahalom et al.
patent: 4666567 (1987-05-01), Loch
patent: 4869971 (1989-09-01), Nee et al.
patent: 5570251 (1996-10-01), Shinoura et al.
patent: 6025978 (2000-02-01), Hoshi et al.
patent: 1180994 (1989-07-01), None
patent: 4297004 (1992-10-01), None
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 38 No. 07 Jul. 1995 entitled: “Permalloy Plating Bath with Improved Composition Control”.
Dinan Thomas Edward
Robertson Neil Leslie
Tam Alan Jun-Yuen
Guillot Robert O.
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies - Netherlands B.V.
IPLO -Intellectual Property Law Offices
Nicolas Wesley A.
LandOfFree
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