Patent ID: 7742259

Claim:
A perpendicular magnetic recording head, comprising: a first magnetic layer having a main magnetic pole exposed from a surface opposed to a recording medium in a track width Tw; a return yoke layer opposed to the first magnetic layer with a nonmagnetic layer interposed therebetween on the opposed surface; and a coil layer for applying a recording magnetic field to the first magnetic layer and the return yoke layer, wherein the return yoke layer on the opposed surface includes a center portion provided in a position opposed to the first magnetic layer in a film thickness direction, and opposed end portions extending on opposite sides in the track width direction of the center portion and having a film thickness smaller than the center portion, and wherein a downside of the center portion and the opposed end portions is formed continuously and linearly parallel to the track width direction, the downside being located facing to the first magnetic layer, and an upside of the center portion includes a protrusion portion protruding upwardly and having a maximum width T 1 larger than the track width Tw to have the opposed end portions.