Patent ID: 7503107

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording in which a main magnetic pole has an arcuate recess on a trailing edge of the magnetic head, the method comprising: a first step of depositing a non-magnetic film over and around the main magnetic pole which was patterned in advance, such that the main magnetic pole is embedded within the non-magnetic film, and subsequently polishing and planarizing the non-magnetic film until the main magnetic pole is exposed, wherein the non-magnetic film is made of a non-magnetic material which exhibits a lower ion milling rate than an ion milling rate of a magnetic metal material which constitutes the main magnetic pole; a second step of etching a surface that is polished and planarized at the first step, by means of ion milling, from a direction which forms a first angle relative to a stacked direction of the magnetic head, to form a stepped portion in which the main magnetic pole is lower from the non-magnetic film around the main magnetic pole; and a third step of etching the stepped portion, by means of ion milling, from a direction which forms a second angle relative to the stacked direction, wherein the second angle is larger than the first angle.