Patent ID: 7170712

Claim:
A magnetic head comprising: a lower core layer extending from a front surface of the magnetic head in a height direction of the magnetic head, the front surface facing a recording medium; a protruding layer formed on the lower core layer, extending from the front surface of the magnetic head in the height direction by a predetermined length; a back gap layer formed on the lower core layer away from a rear end surface of the protruding layer in the height direction by a predetermined distance; a coil layer that is at least partially included in a space surrounded by the lower core layer, the protruding layer, and the back gap layer; a coil-insulating layer covering the coil layer; a gap-depth defining layer composed of a nonmagnetic material and disposed on a top surface of the protruding layer away from the front surface of the magnetic head in the height direction by a predetermined distance; a first seed layer composed of a metal, covering an entire top surface of the gap-depth defining layer; a lower magnetic pole layer formed on the protruding layer on the front side of the gap-depth defining layer, a rear end surface of the lower magnetic pole layer being in contact with a front end surface of the gap-depth defining layer; a gap layer formed on the lower magnetic pole layer, a rear end surface of the gap layer being in contact with the front end surface of the gap-depth defining layer; and an upper magnetic pole layer connected to the protruding layer via the first seed layer and the gap-depth defining layer.