Thin-film magnetic head capable of narrowing track width and method of manufacturing the same

A thin-film magnetic head comprising a lower core layer, an upper magnetic pole layer positioned in an opposing relation to said lower core layer through a nonmagnetic gap layer at a head surface facing a recording medium, said magnetic head further comprising:

• a lower magnetic pole layer being formed on said lower core layer to extend from said head surface facing the recording medium over a predetermined length in a height direction, said gap layer contacting said lower magnetic pole layer;
• and
• a first coil layer and a first coil insulating layer being formed in a space corresponding to a level difference between said lower magnetic pole layer and said lower core layer, said first coil insulating layer filling spaces defined at a pitch of conductors of said first coil layer between the conductors;
• an upper surface of said first coil insulating layer or upper surfaces of both said first coil insulating layer and said first coil layer being leveled flush with a first reference plane, which is assumed to be defined by a junction surface between said lower magnetic pole layer and said gap layer, so that a first flat surface extends in the height direction along the first reference plane;
• said upper magnetic pole layer formed on said gap layer to extend from said head surface facing the recording medium over a predetermined length in the height direction, said upper magnetic pole layer having a portion exposed at said head surface facing the recording medium and formed with the track width Tw;
• an upper core layer being joined onto said upper magnetic pole layer at a position spaced from said head surface facing the recording medium in the height direction;
• a second coil layer being electrically connected to said first coil layer and introducing a recording magnetic field to said lower core layer and said upper core layer, and a second coil insulating layer filling spaces defined at a pitch of conductors of said second coil layer between the conductors, said second coil layer and said second coil insulating layer being formed on said gap layer to locate in an area extending from said upper magnetic pole layer in the height direction;
• wherein, assuming a junction surface between said upper magnetic pole layer and said upper core layer to be a second reference plane, an upper surface of said second coil insulating layer or upper surfaces of both said second coil insulating layer and said second coil layer are leveled flush with the second reference plane so that a flat surface extends in the height direction along the second reference plane;
• and
• wherein said second coil insulating layer is formed of an inorganic insulating material.

A thin-film magnetic head comprising a lower core layer, an upper magnetic pole layer positioned in an opposing relation to said lower core layer through a nonmagnetic gap layer at a head surface facing a recording medium, said magnetic head further comprising:

• a lower magnetic pole layer being formed on said lower core layer to extend from said head surface facing the recording medium over a predetermined length in a height direction, said gap layer contacting said lower magnetic pole layer;
• and
• a first coil layer and a first coil insulating layer being formed in a space corresponding to a level difference between said lower magnetic pole layer and said lower core layer, said first coil insulating layer filling spaces defined at a pitch of conductors of said first coil layer between the conductors;
• an upper surface of said first coil insulating layer or upper surfaces of both said first coil insulating layer and said first coil layer being leveled flush with a first reference plane, which is assumed to be defined by a junction surface between said lower magnetic pole layer and said gap layer, so that a first flat surface extends in the height direction along the first reference plane;
• said upper magnetic pole layer formed on said gap layer to extend from said head surface facing the recording medium over a predetermined length in the height direction, said upper magnetic pole layer having a portion exposed at said head surface facing the recording medium and formed with the track width Tw;
• an upper core layer being joined onto said upper magnetic pole layer at a position spaced from said head surface facing the recording medium in the height direction;
• a second coil layer being electrically connected to said coil layer and introducing a recording magnetic field to said lower core layer and said upper core layer, and a second coil insulating layer filling spaces defined at a pitch of conductors of said second coil layer between the conductors, said second coil layer and said second coil insulating layer being formed on said gap layer to locate in an area extending from said upper magnetic pole layer in the height direction;
• and
• wherein, assuming a junction surface between said upper magnetic pole layer and said upper core layer to be a second reference plane, an upper surface of said second coil insulating layer or upper surfaces of both said second coil insulating layer and said second coil layer are leveled flush with the second reference plane so that a second flat surface extends in the height direction along the second reference plane;
• wherein the surfaces flush with the second reference plane are surfaces flattened by trimming;
• and,
• wherein said second coil insulating layer is formed of an inorganic insulating material.

A thin-film magnetic head comprising a lower core layer, an upper magnetic pole layer positioned in an opposing relation to said lower core layer through a nonmagnetic gap layer at a head surface facing a recording medium, said magnetic head further comprising:

• a lower magnetic pole layer being formed on said lower core layer to extend from said head surface facing the recording medium over a predetermined length in a height direction, said gap layer contacting said lower magnetic pole layer;
• and
• a first coil layer and first coil insulating layer being formed in a space corresponding to a level difference between said lower magnetic pole layer and said lower core layer, said first coil insulating layer filling spaces defined at a pitch of conductors of said first coil layer between the conductors;
• an upper surface of said first coil insulating layer or upper surfaces of both said first coil insulating layer and said first coil layer being leveled flush with a first reference plane, which is assumed to be defined by a junction surface between said lower magnetic pole layer and said gap layer, so that a flat surface extends in the height direction along the first reference plane,
• said upper magnetic pole layer formed on said gap layer to extend from said head surface facing the recording medium over a predetermined length in the height direction, said upper magnetic pole layer having a portion exposed at said head surface facing the recording medium and formed with the track width Tw;
• an upper core layer being joined onto said upper magnetic pole layer at a position spaced from said head surface facing the recording medium in the height direction;
• and
• a second coil layer being electrically connected to said first coil layer and introducing a recording magnetic field to said lower core layer and said upper core layer, and a second coil insulating layer filling spaces defined at a pitch of conductors of said second coil layer between the conductors, said second coil layer and said second coil insulating layer being formed on said gap layer to locate in an area extending from said upper magnetic pole layer in the height direction;
• wherein when a lift layer is not formed on said lower core layer, a second lift layer is formed to rise from said lower core layer, and when a lift layer is formed on said lower core layer, said second lift layer is formed on said lift layer, a base end portion of said upper core layer being formed in contact with an upper surface of said second lift layer.