Patent ID: 7885029

Claim:
A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head comprising: a waveguide for guiding a light for thermal-assist to a magnetic recording medium, formed on 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 first main pole extending to the opposed-to-medium surface; and a second main pole provided on an end portion of the first main pole, the end portion being on an opposite side to the opposed-to-medium surface, and the waveguide and the first main pole being opposed to each other through a first clad layer that acts as a clad for propagation of the light, 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 first main pole when viewed from the opposed-to-medium surface side.