Patent ID: 6941643

Claim:
A method of producing a thin film magnetic head comprising the steps of: depositing a lower shielding layer, a lower gap layer, a magnetoresistive element, an upper gap layer, and a lower core layer in that order on a substrate; forming a nonmagnetic insulating material layer in the periphery of the lower core layer and over the lower core layer; forming a planarizing layer in the periphery of the lower core layer by removing the surface of the nonmagnetic insulating material layer to expose the lower core layer and by planarizing the exposed surface of the lower core layer and the surface of the nonmagnetic insulating layer in the periphery thereof; forming a gap layer over the lower core layer and the planarizing layer, and then forming a coil layer on the gap layer; and forming an insulating layer on the coil layer, and then forming an upper core layer comprising a magnetic material on the insulating layer, a base of the upper core layer being magnetically coupled to the lower core layer, a tip of the upper core layer facing the lower core layer with the gap layer therebetween at the section exposed to the air bearing surface, wherein the magnetoresistive element is formed by depositing a multilayer film exhibiting magnetoresistance and a pair of electrode layers connected to the multilayer film, and the method further comprises the steps of: forming a first coil extraction layer simultaneously with main electrode layers, the main electrode layers overlapping the electrode layers and extending at the rear of the electrode layers; connecting a second coil extraction layer and a third coil extraction layer comprising the same material as that for the lower core layer onto the first coil extraction layer; connecting a coil center onto the second coil extraction layer during the formation of the coil layer; and connecting a coil lead layer onto the third coil extraction layer.