Patent ID: 6519834
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing 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 magnetically coupled to each other and including magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and placed in regions of the magnetic layers on a side of the medium facing surface, each of the magnetic layers including at least one layer; a gap layer provided between the pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers; an insulating layer for defining a throat height, the insulating layer being placed between the first and second magnetic layers; and a thin-film coil at least a part of which is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the at least part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers; the method including the steps of:forming the first magnetic layer; forming the insulating layer for defining the throat height on the first magnetic layer; forming the gap layer on the pole portion of the first magnetic layer; forming the second magnetic layer on the insulating layer for defining the throat height and the gap layer; and forming the coil such that the at least part of the coil is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the at least part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers; wherein the step of forming the second magnetic layer includes the steps of: forming a magnetic film on the insulating layer for defining the throat height and the gap layer; flattening a top surface of the magnetic film; and patterning the flattened magnetic film through photolithography to make the magnetic film into at least the pole portion of the second magnetic layer.