Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same

A method of manufacturing a magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording, the magnetic head comprising:

• a medium facing surface that faces toward a recording medium;
• a coil for generating a magnetic field corresponding to data to be written on the recording medium;
• a pole layer having an end face located in the medium facing surface, allowing a magnetic flux corresponding to the field generated by the coil to pass therethrough, and generating a write magnetic field for writing the data on the recording medium through the use of a perpendicular magnetic recording system;
• and
• a pole-layer-encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a groove that opens in a top surface of the encasing layer and accommodates the pole layer, the method comprising the steps of:
• forming a nonmagnetic layer that will be formed into the encasing layer by forming the groove therein later;
• forming a polishing stopper layer on a top surface of the nonmagnetic layer, the polishing stopper layer being made of a nonmagnetic conductive material and having a penetrating opening with a shape corresponding to a plane geometry of the pole layer, the polishing stopper layer indicating a level at which polishing to be performed later is stopped;
• forming the groove in the nonmagnetic layer by selectively etching a portion of the nonmagnetic layer exposed from the opening of the polishing stopper layer, so that the nonmagnetic layer is formed into the encasing layer;
• forming a magnetic layer to be the pole layer such that the groove is filled and a top surface of the magnetic layer is located higher than a top surface of the polishing stopper layer;
• forming a coating layer so as to cover the magnetic layer and the polishing stopper layer;
• polishing the coating layer and the magnetic layer until the polishing stopper layer is exposed, so that the magnetic layer is formed into the pole layer;
• and
• forming the coil.

A method of manufacturing a magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording, the magnetic head comprising:

• a medium facing surface that faces toward a recording medium;
• a coil for generating a magnetic field corresponding to data to be written on the recording medium;
• a pole layer having an end face located in the medium facing surface, allowing a magnetic flux corresponding to the field generated by the coil to pass therethrough, and generating a write magnetic field for writing the data on the recording medium through the use of a perpendicular magnetic recording system;
• and
• a pole-layer-encasing layer made of a nonmagnetic material and having a groove that opens in a top surface of the encasing layer and accommodates the pole layer, the method comprising:
• the step of forming a nonmagnetic layer that will be formed into the encasing layer by forming the groove therein later;
• the step of forming a lower polishing stopper layer on a top surface of the nonmagnetic layer, the lower polishing stopper layer having a penetrating opening with a shape corresponding to a plane geometry of the pole layer, the lower polishing stopper layer indicating a level at which polishing of a second polishing step to be performed later is stopped;
• the step of forming the groove in the nonmagnetic layer by selectively etching a portion of the nonmagnetic layer exposed from the opening of the lower polishing stopper layer, so that the nonmagnetic layer is formed into the encasing layer;
• the step of forming a spacer layer having a specific thickness on the lower polishing stopper layer before or after the step of forming the groove;
• the step of forming an upper polishing stopper layer on the spacer layer, the upper polishing stopper layer indicating a level at which polishing of a first polishing step to be performed later is stopped;
• the step of forming a magnetic layer to be the pole layer after the step of forming the groove and the step of forming the upper polishing stopper layer, such that the groove is filled and a top surface of the magnetic layer is located higher than a top surface of the upper polishing stopper layer;
• the step of forming a coating layer so as to cover the magnetic layer and the upper polishing stopper layer;
• the first polishing step of polishing the coating layer and the magnetic layer until the upper polishing stopper layer is exposed;
• the step of removing the upper polishing stopper layer after the first polishing step;
• the second polishing step of polishing the spacer layer and the magnetic layer until the lower polishing stopper layer is exposed, so that the magnetic layer is formed into the pole layer;
• and
• the step of forming the coil.