Patent ID: 7764464

Claim:
A perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising: a first magnetic layer having a width, which determines a track width, in a track width direction at a facing surface facing a recording medium, a second magnetic layer having a width, which is larger than the track width, in the track width direction at the facing surface facing the recording medium, the first magnetic layer being disposed under the second magnetic layer, and the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer being disposed in an element thickness direction with a space provided therebetween and being coupled to each other at a height direction side, a plurality of first coil pieces provided in the space between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer with predetermined intervals in the height direction and extending in a direction intersecting the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; a plurality of second coil pieces provided outside the space between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer with predetermined intervals in the height direction and extending in a direction intersecting the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and an auxiliary yoke layer including a magnetic material at an upper side of the first magnetic layer and in a space between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, wherein front surfaces facing the recording medium of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer are exposed at the facing surface facing the recording medium, a thickness of the front surface of the first magnetic layer is smaller than a thickness of the front surface of the second magnetic layer, a width in the track width direction of the first magnetic layer is smaller than a width in the track width direction of the second magnetic layer, an area of the front surface of the first magnetic layer is smaller than an area of the front surface of the second magnetic layer, wherein a front portion of the second magnetic layer approaches to the first magnetic layer at facing surfaces side and faces to the first magnetic layer having a gap layer therebetween and a front surface of the auxiliary yoke layer is disposed behind a back surface of the second magnetic layer in a height direction, wherein the first coil pieces are connected to each other at end portions thereof with the second coil pieces provided therebetween to be wound around the first magnetic layer so that a solenoidal coil is formed, and wherein a film thickness of the second coil pieces is larger than a film thickness of the first coil pieces, and wherein the auxiliary yoke layer has an inclined front surface or a curved front surface at the facing surface side, the height of the front surface being increased along the height direction wherein the auxiliary yoke layer is formed of a material having superior corrosion resistance and containing less Fe than that contained in the first magnetic layer.