Thin film magnetic head, method of manufacturing the same, and magnetic recording apparatus

A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head comprising a thin film coil for generating a magnetic flux, and a magnetic pole layer extending rearward from a recording-medium-facing surface which faces a recording medium traveling in a medium travel direction, generating a magnetic field for magnetizing the recording medium in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the recording medium on the basis of the magnetic flux generated by the thin film coil, and including a magnetic pole having an exposed surface which is defined by a first edge positioned on an opposite side in the medium travel direction and a second edge positioned in the medium travel direction and is exposed on the recording-medium-facing surface,

• wherein a step of forming the magnetic pole in the magnetic pole layer comprises:
• a first step of forming a first pre-magnetic pole portion so as to have a shape corresponding to the magnetic pole by using a magnetic material having a relatively low first saturated magnetic flux density;
• a second step of forming a first magnetic pole portion constructing a part of the magnetic pole by partially etching the first pre-magnetic pole portion from the medium travel direction;
• and
• a third step of forming a second magnetic pole portion constructing another part of the magnetic pole on the first magnetic pole portion by using a magnetic material having a relatively high second saturated magnetic flux density,
• thereby forming the magnetic pole so as to have a stacking structure in which the first magnetic pole portion positioned on the opposite side in the medium travel direction and the second magnetic pole portion positioned in the medium travel direction are stacked so as to be adjacent to each other,
• wherein a width of the second edge is larger than a width of the first edge, and is equal to or larger than a width of the exposed surface at an arbitrary intermediate position between the first and the second edges,
• the first magnetic pole portion has a first exposed surface area constructing a part of the exposed surface,
• the second magnetic pole portion has a second exposed surface area constructing another part of the exposed surface, and
• a height at a center position in the second exposed surface area is set to be larger than a height of the second exposed surface area at an arbitrary peripheral position around the center position.

A magnetic recording apparatus on which a recording medium and a thin film magnetic head for performing a magnetic process on the recording medium are mounted, wherein the thin film magnetic head comprises:

• a thin film coil for generating a magnetic flux;
• and
• a magnetic pole layer extending rearward from a recording-medium-facing surface which faces a recording medium traveling in a medium travel direction, generating a magnetic field for magnetizing the recording medium in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the recording medium on the basis of the magnetic flux generated by the thin film coil, and including a magnetic pole having an exposed surface which is defined by a first edge positioned on an opposite side in the medium travel direction and a second edge positioned in the medium travel direction and is exposed on the recording-medium-facing surface,
• the magnetic pole in the magnetic pole layer has a stacking structure in which first and second magnetic pole portions are stacked and adjacent to each other,
• the first magnetic pole portion positioned on the opposite side in the medium travel direction, having a relatively low first saturated magnetic flux density, and having a first exposed surface area constructing a part of the exposed surface,
• the second magnetic pole portion positioned in the medium travel direction, having a relatively high second saturated magnetic flux density, and having a second exposed surface area constructing another part of the exposed surface,
• a width of the second edge in the exposed surface is larger than a width of the first edge, and is equal to or larger than a width of the exposed surface at an arbitrary intermediate position between the first and the second edges, and
• a height at a center position in the second exposed surface area is larger than a height of the second exposed surface area at an arbitrary peripheral position around the center position.