Near-field light generating element, method of manufacturing near-field light generating element, near-field light head, method of manufacturing near-field light head, and information recording and playback device

A method of manufacturing a near-field light head which includes a near-field light generating element and which heats a magnetic recording medium rotating in a given direction and causes a magnetization reversal by applying a recording magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium to record information,

• the near-field light generating element including:
• a core that propagates light flux introduced to one end side while focusing the light flux toward the other end side, and
• a near-field light generating portion which is placed along a propagation direction of the light flux facing from the one end side toward the other end side in the core to propagate the light flux along an interface between the near-field light generating element and the core, and generates the near-field light from the light flux,
• the method comprising:
• a near-field light generating portion forming process of forming a base material of the near-field light generating portion;
• a first core forming process of forming a base material of the first core of the core so as to cover the near-field light generating portion;
• a patterning process of collectively patterning the base material of the first core and the base material of the near-field light generating portion;
• a second core forming process of forming a second core of the core so as to cover the first core from the opposite side of the near-field light generating portion with the first core interposed therebetween;
• a magnetic pole forming process of forming a base material of a magnetic pole that generates the recording magnetic field before the near-field light generating portion forming process, and
• wherein, in the patterning process, the base material of the magnetic pole is collectively patterned by the same process together with the base material of the first core and the base material of the near-field light generating portion.