Patent ID: 8169740

Claim:
A thin-film magnetic head structure suitable for use in manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head, the thin-film magnetic head structure comprising: a main magnetic pole layer having a magnetic pole end part on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium; a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole end part so as to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side; a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or the main magnetic pole layer; and a base insulating layer with a magnetic pole forming depression having a bottom face that underlies the main magnetic pole layer, the magnetic pole forming depression including a very narrow groove part defining a form of the magnetic pole end part and a main depression integrally extending from an end part of the very narrow groove part remote from the medium-opposing surface; wherein: a stepped part is formed on the bottom face and at a boundary between the main depression and the very narrow groove part, and the main magnetic pole layer is disposed substantially within the magnetic pole forming depression.