Patent ID: 7489473

Claim:
A magnetic head comprising: a first magnetic layer in which a face, opposed to a recording medium, having a size equal to a track width in a track width direction; a second magnetic layer in which a face, opposed to the recording medium, having a size greater than the track width in the track width direction, the first and second magnetic layers being spaced from each other in an element thickness direction, the first and second magnetic layers being connected to each other at a region located in a height direction; and a coil layer, located far from the opposed faces, for applying recording magnetic fields to the first and second magnetic layers such that magnetic data is recorded on the recording medium with a perpendicular magnetic field concentrated on the first magnetic layer, wherein a switching layer is disposed in a space between the first and second magnetic layers, the space being located close to the opposed faces wherein the switching layer is connected to the coil layer, the switching layer including a magnetic alloy having a Curie temperature lower than that of the first magnetic layer and that of the second magnetic layer; and, the switching layer is rendered non-magnetic by supplying a current to the coil layer so as to heat the switching layer to a temperature greater than the Curie temperature of the switching layer when a signal is being recorded on the recording medium; and, the switching layer is rendered magnetic by not supplying a current so as to keep a switching layer temperature less than the Curie temperature of the switching layer when a signal is not being recorded on the recording medium.