Patent ID: 7643246

Claim:
A perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising: a main magnetic pole layer and a return path layer that face each other with a gap therebetween in a lamination direction; a non-magnetic insulating layer that extends from a surface that faces a recording medium to the rear in a height direction, and is interposed between the main magnetic pole layer and the return path layer; and at least one stepped portion that is formed on a facing surface of at least one of the main magnetic pole layer and the return path layer, the at least one stepped portion being formed such that the gap at the rear in a height direction is larger than that at a position close to a front end surface exposed to the surface that faces the recording medium, wherein the main magnetic pole layer has a first facing surface and the return path layer has a second facing surface, the first facing surface and the second facing surface face each other with only the non-magnetic insulating layer therebetween, and the at least one stepped portion is formed on at least one of the first facing surface and the second facing surface.