Thin-film magnetic head having a magnetic layer including an auxiliary layer made of a high saturation flux density material and method of manufacturing same

A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head comprising:

• a reproducing head including:
• a magnetoresistive element;
• and a first shield layer and a second shield layer for shielding the magnetoresistive element, portions of the first and second shield layers located in regions on a side of a medium facing surface of the head that faces toward a recording medium being opposed to each other, the magnetoresistive element being placed between the portions of the shield layers;
• and
• a recording head including:
• a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer magnetically coupled to each other and including magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and placed in regions of the magnetic layers on a side of the medium facing surface, each of the magnetic layers including at least one layer;
• a gap layer provided between the pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers;
• and a thin-film coil at least part of which is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the at least part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers;
• wherein:
• the first magnetic layer is located next to the reproducing head;
• the method including the steps of:
• forming the reproducing head;
• forming the first magnetic layer;
• forming the gap layer on the first magnetic layer;
• forming the second magnetic layer on the gap layer;
• and
• forming the coil such that the at least part of the coil is insulated from the first and second magnetic layers;
• wherein:
• the step of forming the first magnetic layer includes formation of:
• a first layer located in a region including a region that faces the coil;
• a second layer forming one of the pole portions and connected to a surface of the first layer facing the coil;
• and an auxiliary layer made of a high saturation flux density material and located at least between the first layer and the at least part of the coil, the auxiliary layer forming part of a magnetic path;
• the surface of the first layer facing the coil and a surface of the second layer facing the gap layer form a step due to a difference in level between the surfaces;
• the auxiliary layer touches the first layer;
• and
• in the step of forming the coil, the at least part of the coil is formed on the auxiliary layer such that the at least part of the coil is placed on a side of the second layer of the first magnetic layer.