Patent ID: 6330743
Filing Date: 2001-12-18
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, comprising the steps of:forming a first magnetic layer having a pole portion such that the first magnetic layer is supported by a substrate;forming a thin film coil above said first magnetic layer such that the thin film coil is supported by an insulating layer in an electrically isolated manner;forming a gap layer made of a non-magnetic material at least on said pole portion of the first magnetic layer and said insulating layer;forming a second magnetic layer on said gap layer, said second magnetic layer having a pole portion which is opposed to said pole portion of the first magnetic layer via said gap layer;forming side walls made of a non-magnetic material at least on side surfaces of said pole portion of said second magnetic layer;performing a reactive ion etching to remove a portion of said gap layer adjacent to side edges of said pole portion of the second magnetic layer by using said pole portion of the second magnetic layer, said side walls and a photoresist layer provided on said gap layer as a mask to form a recess in said gap layer;performing an ion beam etching to remove a portion of said first magnetic layer by using said pole portion of the second magnetic layer and said side walls as a mask such that said recess is dug down partially into the first magnetic layer; andpolishing the substrate, pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers and gap layer sandwiched by these magnetic layers to form an air bearing surface which is to be opposed to a magnetic record medium, while an inner side wall of said recess is used as a positional reference.