Patent ID: 6900963

Claim:
A thin film magnetic head comprising: a lower core layer; an upper core layer; at least one insulating layer positioned between the lower core layer and the upper core layer; a track width restricting groove being formed in the insulating layer; and a lower magnetic pole layer and an upper magnetic pole layer, the lower magnetic pole layer continuing from the lower core layer, the upper magnetic pole layer continuing from the upper core layer, and a gap layer positioned between one of the core layers and one of the magnetic pole layers that opposes the core layer or between the two magnetic pole layers being provided in the track width restricting groove, wherein a stopper layer is placed, in a portion excluding the track width restricting groove, between the lower core layer and the insulating layer, and the stopper layer is formed of an insulating material having an etching rate lower than a reactive ion etching rate of the insulating layer.