Patent ID: 8164986

Claim:
A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head comprising: a waveguide for guiding a light for thermal-assist to a magnetic recording medium, formed in an element-formation surface of a substrate and extending to an opposed-to-medium surface of the head; and a write head element formed on a trailing side from the waveguide and comprising: a main magnetic pole for applying a write magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium; and an auxiliary magnetic pole provided on a trailing side of the main magnetic pole, the main magnetic pole comprising: a main pole tip extending to the opposed-to-medium surface; and a main pole body provided on an end portion of the main pole tip, the end portion being on an opposite side to the opposed-to-medium surface, a groove being provided in an upper surface of the waveguide, at least a portion of the main pole tip being embedded in the groove, and a portion of a first clad layer, which acts as a clad with respect to the propagation of the light, being sandwiched between the at least a portion of the main pole tip and the groove, and a second clad layer that acts as a clad for propagation of the light being provided on the first clad layer and on a rear side from the main pole tip when viewed from the opposed-to-medium surface side, wherein the first clad layer has upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of the first clad layer is in contact with the at least a portion of the main pole tip and with a lower surface of the second clad layer, the lower surface of the first clad layer is in contact with the upper surface of the waveguide that includes the groove.