Patent ID: 7268976

Claim:
A thin-film magnetic head comprising: a substrate; an insulating film formed on said substrate; a first magneto-resistive effect element for detecting a magnetic signal from a magnetic recording medium comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a first magneto-resistive effect film disposed between said first electrode and said second electrode and formed on said insulating film so as to hold said first magneto-resistive effect element between an upper shield film and a lower shield film; a second magneto-resistive effect element disposed adjacent to said first magneto-resistive effect element for measuring an amount of lapping of said first magneto-resistive effect element along an air bearing surface, said second magneto-resistive effect element consisting essentially of: a third electrode; a fourth electrode; and a second magneto-resistive effect film disposed between said third electrode and said fourth electrode and formed on said insulating film; and wherein a first distance between said substrate and said first magneto-resistive film is the same as a second distance between said substrate and said second magneto-resistive film; and wherein a first thickness of said insulating film where said second magneto-resistive effect element is formed is larger than a second thickness of said insulating film in the region where said first magneto-resistive effect element is formed.