Patent ID: 6728064
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A thin-film magnetic head comprising:a medium facing surface that faces toward a recording medium; a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer that are magnetically coupled to each other at a distance from the medium facing surface, and include magnetic pole portions disposed to oppose each other with a predetermined spacing interposed therebetween along the traveling direction of the recording medium; a gap layer made of a non-magnetic material and provided between the first and second magnetic layers; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is disposed between the first and second magnetic layers and insulated from the first and second magnetic layers, wherein: the second magnetic layer has: a pole portion layer including the magnetic pole portion, the width of the pole portion layer measured in the medium facing surface defining a track width; and a yoke portion layer for magnetically connecting the pole portion layer and the first magnetic layer to each other, the yoke portion layer is magnetically connected to the pole portion layer at least in part of: an end surface of the pole portion layer farther from the medium facing surface; and side surfaces of the pole portion layer in the width direction, the pole portion layer further has a connection surface that is magnetically connected to the yoke portion layer, the connection surface being at least part of: the end surface of the pole portion layer away from the medium facing surface; and the side surfaces of the pole portion layer in the width direction, and at least part of the connection surface is inclined relative to the direction perpendicular to a surface of the pole portion layer that faces the gap layer.