Magnetic head including spin torque oscillator, first and second gap films, and first and second guard films, and manufacturing method for the same

A manufacturing method for a magnetic head,

• the magnetic head including:
• a medium facing surface configured to face a recording medium;
• a main pole configured to generate a write magnetic field for writing data on the recording medium;
• a trailing shield formed of a magnetic material and located forward relative to the main pole in a direction of travel of the recording medium;
• a spin torque oscillator located between the main pole and the trailing shield and electrically connected to the main pole and the trailing shield;
• first and second side shields formed of a magnetic material and opposed to each other in a track width direction with the main pole between the first and second side shields;
• first and second gap films formed of a nonmagnetic material and opposed to each other in the track width direction with the spin torque oscillator between the first and second gap films, the first and second gap films being in contact with the spin torque oscillator;
• and
• first and second guard films formed of a nonmagnetic material, wherein
• the first gap film and the first guard film are interposed between the trailing shield and the first side shield,
• the first guard film is interposed between the first gap film and the first side shield,
• the second gap film and the second guard film are interposed between the trailing shield and the second side shield,
• the second guard film is interposed between the second gap film and the second side shield, and
• the first and second guard films are not in contact with the spin torque oscillator,
• the manufacturing method comprising:
• a step of forming the main pole and the first and second side shields;
• a step of forming the first and second guard films of a nonmagnetic material on the first and second side shields;
• a step of forming a layered film to later become the spin torque oscillator on the main pole and the first and second guard films;
• a first etching step of etching a part of the layered film until the first and second guard films are exposed;
• a step of forming the first and second gap films after the first etching step;
• a second etching step of etching another part of the layered film so that the layered film becomes the spin torque oscillator after the step of forming the first and second gap films;
• and
• a step of forming the trailing shield on the spin torque oscillator, the first and second side shields, and the first and second gap films.