Patent ID: 6879462

Claim:
A magnetic head comprising a support opposed to a recording medium, and a magnetic element supported by the support and having a magnetic functional portion for performing at least one of magnetic detection and magnetic recording on the recording medium; wherein the magnetic element comprises a laminate of a plurality of films, and the magnetic functional portion positioned in an intermediate portion of the magnetic element in the track width direction, and the magnetic element has a shape in which a portion outside the magnetic functional portion more retreats from the recording medium than the magnetic functional portion, and is supported by the support so that the magnetic functional portion is brought nearer the recording medium than the outside portion; the magnetic element further comprises an upper shield layer and a lower shield layer each made of a magnetic material and having a predetermined width dimension, and a magnetic sensor portion functioning as the magnetic functional portion positioned between both shield layers, and the portions of both shield layers outside the magnetic functional portion retreat from the magnetic functional portion.