Patent ID: 7817376

Claim:
A thin-film magnetic head including an electromagnetic coil element comprising: a lower magnetic layer formed in an element formation surface of a substrate having an air bearing surface; an upper magnetic layer; a write gap layer, an end portion on the air bearing surface side of said write gap layer sandwiched between said lower magnetic layer and said upper magnetic layer; and a write coil layer passing through at least between said lower magnetic layer and said upper magnetic layer, said lower magnetic layer comprising: a lower yoke layer extending to a head end surface on the air bearing surface side; a non-magnetic portion formed on an upper surface of an end portion on the air bearing surface side of said lower yoke layer and extending to the head end surface on the air bearing surface side; and a lower magnetic pole layer formed on an upper surface of said non-magnetic portion and on an upper surface of an end portion on the air bearing surface side of said lower yoke layer, an upper surface of said lower magnetic pole layer being in contact with said write gap layer, and an end surface in the head end surface of said lower magnetic pole layer having a shape whose width along a track width direction is defined by a predetermined magnetic pole width.