Patent ID: 6456459
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A thin-film magnetic head comprising: a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer magnetically coupled to each other and each including at least one layer, the first magnetic layer including a first magnetic pole portion, the second magnetic layer including a second magnetic pole portion, the pole portions being opposed to each other and placed in regions of the magnetic layers on a side of a medium facing surface that faces toward a recording medium; a gap layer provided between the first pole portion and the second pole portion; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers, wherein:the first magnetic layer includes: the first pole portion that has a surface that faces toward a gap layer; and a first yoke portion magnetically coupled to the first pole portion, the first pole portion and the first yoke portion being made up of separate layers; the second magnetic layer includes: the second pole portion having a width that defines a recording track width; and a second yoke portion magnetically coupled to the second pole portion and having a width greater than that of the second pole portion; and the at least part of the thin-film coil is located on a side of the first pole portion and between the gap layer and the first yoke portion, the head further comprising: an insulating layer provided between the gap layer and the first yoke portion, the insulating layer touching the first pole portion and having a surface that faces toward the gap layer; an interface region between the first pole portion and the insulating layer, the interface region defining a throat height; the surface of the first pole portion that faces toward the gap layer and the surface of the insulating layer that faces toward the gap layer together forming one flat surface; an interface region between the second pole portion and the second yoke portion being located in a position that faces toward the flat surface made up of the surface of the first pole portion and the surface of the insulating layer.