Thin film magnetic head including nonmagnetic and magnetic layers with similar milling rates

Abstract

Prevention of the formation of unwanted profiles in the ABS surface by etching of the slider ABS surface, even when gap layers are formed from non-alumina-base nonmagnetic materials differing from the component material of the substrate. Numerous thin film magnetic head elements, consisting of multiple layers including magnetic gap layers composed of nonmagnetic materials, are formed in a lattice array on the surface of a wafer. In the process of formation of these elements, the component materials of the magnetic gap layers existing in the region to be etched in order to form the slider shape are removed in advance. The wafer on the surface of which the elements are formed is cut into individual head blocks, and the surfaces opposing the magnetic recording media, consisting of a cut surface of said head block, are formed into a slider shape by etching.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.