Magnetic heads having a graded domain control film and methods of manufacture thereof

A magnetic head comprising:

• a sensor film, comprising:
• a fixed layer whose magnetization direction is fixed;
• an intermediate layer;
• and
• a free layer having a magnetization direction that changes in response to an external magnetic field;
• a sensor cap film above the sensor film;
• a pair of shields including an upper magnetic shield and a lower magnetic shield which serve as electrodes that pass current in a film thickness direction of the sensor film;
• a track insulating film adjacent both sides of the sensor film in the track width direction;
• a domain control film arranged on both sides in the track width direction of the sensor film adjacent the track insulating film;
• a domain control cap film above the domain control film;
• and
• an element height direction insulating film arranged in a portion on an opposite side to an air-bearing surface of the sensor film,
• wherein an edge position of the element height direction insulating film adjacent the sensor film on the air-bearing surface side is substantially the same as an edge position of the sensor cap film in the element height direction,
• wherein the domain control cap film is graded such that a film thickness of the domain control cap film progressively decreases from an inner side in the element height direction toward the air-bearing surface direction, and
• wherein a position at which the film thickness of the domain control cap film starts to change or an edge position of the domain control cap film in the element height direction is substantially the same as the edge position of the element height direction insulating film on the air-bearing surface side.

A method of manufacturing a magnetic head, the method comprising:

• laminating and forming a sensor film, the sensor film comprising:
• a fixed layer whose magnetization direction is fixed;
• an intermediate layer;
• and
• a free layer having a magnetization direction that changes in response to an external magnetic field;
• laminating and forming a sensor cap film above the sensor film;
• etching the sensor film and the sensor cap film to leave a desired width in a track width direction;
• forming a track insulating film at an etching edge of the sensor film and the sensor cap film;
• forming a domain control film above the track insulating film;
• etching the sensor film to a dimension in an element height direction;
• arranging an element height direction insulating film at the etching edge of the sensor film in the element height direction;
• graded etching a top of the domain control film using the element height direction insulating film as an etching mask;
• and
• forming an upper magnetic shield.