Patent ID: 8284527

Claim:
A magnetic head comprising: a sensor film, comprising: a fixed layer whose magnetization direction is fixed; an intermediate layer; and a free layer having a magnetization direction that changes in response to an external magnetic field; a sensor cap film above the sensor film; a pair of shields including an upper magnetic shield and a lower magnetic shield which serve as electrodes that pass current in a film thickness direction of the sensor film; a track insulating film contacting both sides of the sensor film in the track width direction; a domain control film arranged on both sides in the track width direction of the sensor film adjacent the track insulating film; and an element height direction insulating film positioned on an opposite side of the sensor film relative to an air-bearing surface, wherein an edge position of the element height direction insulating film adjacent the sensor film on the air-bearing surface side is substantially the same as an edge position of the sensor cap film in the element height direction, wherein the domain control film is graded such that a film thickness of the domain control film progressively decreases from an inner side in the element height direction toward the air-bearing surface direction, and wherein a position at which the film thickness of the domain control film starts to change is substantially the same as the edge position of the element height direction insulating film on the air-bearing surface side thereof.