Patent ID: 7450341
Filing Date: 2008-11-11
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. An integrated thin film magnetic recording head for writing and reading arbitrary gap patterns on media and having a plurality of recording elements comprising: a) a pair of magnetically permeable thin film subpole members, separated by a substantially low permeability subgap member, an integrated electrically conductive coil structure embedded in part within the subgap structure and in part in-between the pair of subpoles, the subgap member and subpole members forming part of a magnetic circuit; and b) a highly permeable magnetic thin film layer which spans from at least one subpole to another subpole and which includes one or more arbitrary recording gap patterns; wherein the plurality of recording elements are substantially magnetically isolated and electrically independent of one another, each recording element having a unique coil; and wherein the direction of film growth of the highly permeable magnetic thin film layer is substantially orthogonal to the direction of film growth of the pair of magnetically permeable thin film subpole members.