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, the pole layer allowing a magnetic flux corresponding to the magnetic field generated by the coil to pass therethrough and generating a write magnetic field for writing the data on the recording medium by means of a perpendicular magnetic recording system;
• a shield made of a magnetic material and having an end face located in the medium facing surface at a position forward of the end face of the pole layer along a direction of travel of the recording medium;
• a gap layer that is made of a nonmagnetic material, has an end face located in the medium facing surface, and is disposed between the pole layer and the shield;
• and
• a substrate on which the coil, the pole layer, the gap layer and the shield are stacked, wherein:
• the pole layer is disposed closer to the substrate than is the shield;
• the end face of the pole layer located in the medium facing surface has a first side closer to the substrate, and a second side opposite to the first side, the second side defining a track width;
• the pole layer has a top surface that is farther from the substrate;
• the top surface of the pole layer includes:
• a first portion having a first edge located in the medium facing surface and a second edge opposite thereto;
• and a second portion located farther from the medium facing surface than the first portion and connected to the first portion at the second edge, the first edge coinciding with the second side;
• a distance from the substrate to an arbitrary point on the first portion increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point;
• the first portion has an angle of inclination with respect to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface, and the angle of inclination taken at the arbitrary point increases stepwise or continuously with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point;
• the angle of inclination taken at the first edge is greater than zero degree;
• and
• the second portion extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the medium facing surface,
• the magnetic head further comprising a nonmagnetic layer made of a nonmagnetic material and disposed on the second portion,
• wherein the nonmagnetic layer has a bottom surface touching the second portion, and the bottom surface has an edge located at the second edge,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• forming a magnetic layer that is to undergo partial etching later and that is to become the pole layer when the medium facing surface is formed;
• forming the nonmagnetic layer on the magnetic layer;
• partially etching the magnetic layer using the nonmagnetic layer as a mask so that two portions are formed in a top surface of the magnetic layer, the two portions being intended to become the first portion and the second portion later when the medium facing surface is formed;
• forming the gap layer on the magnetic layer and the nonmagnetic layer;
• forming the shield on the gap layer;
• forming the coil;
• and
• forming the medium facing surface so that the magnetic layer becomes the pole layer.