Abstract: A bottom end of a main pole includes first, second, and third portions that are contiguously arranged in order of increasing distance from the medium facing surface. A top surface of the main pole includes fourth, fifth, and sixth portions that are contiguously arranged in order of increasing distance from the medium facing surface. A distance from the top surface of the substrate to any given point on each of the first and second portions decreases with increasing distance from the given point to the medium facing surface. The second portion has an angle of inclination greater than that of the first portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface. A distance from the top surface of the substrate to any given point on each of the fourth and fifth portions increases with increasing distance from the given point to the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a write shield layer, a gap layer, and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. The thin-film magnetic head has a shield magnetic layer. The shield magnetic layer has a leading shield part. The leading shield part is disposed on a substrate side of the main magnetic pole layer. The leading shield part has a variable distance structure in which a rearmost part most distanced from the medium-opposing surface is distanced more from the main magnetic pole layer than is a foremost part on the main magnetic pole layer side.

Abstract: In a method of forming a main pole, an initial accommodation layer is etched by RIE using a first etching mask having a first opening, whereby a groove is formed in the initial accommodation layer. Next, a part of the initial accommodation layer including the groove is etched by RIE using a second etching mask having a second opening, so that the groove becomes an accommodation part. The main pole is then formed in the accommodation part. The first etching mask has first and second sidewalls that face the first opening and are opposed to each other at a first distance in a track width direction. The second etching mask has third and fourth sidewalls that face the second opening and are opposed to each other at a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of SiO2 or SiON and has a top surface. The method includes the step of forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched, and the step of taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces that intersect at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The etching mask is formed of a material containing elemental Al. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas that contains a main component gas, which contributes to the etching of the layer to be etched, and N2.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing the plasmon generator includes the steps of: forming a base part made of a dielectric material; forming a metal film that is to later become the plasmon generator; and forming a filler layer made of a dielectric material. The base part includes a base surface and a protruding part that protrudes from the base surface. The protruding part has a top surface that is different in level from the base surface, and a first sidewall connecting the top surface of the protruding part to the base surface. The metal film includes an adhesion part adhering to the first sidewall. The filler layer has a second sidewall disposed such that the adhesion part is interposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

Abstract: A first connection between a first communication apparatus and a server apparatus and a second connection between a second communication apparatus and the server apparatus are established. The first and second communication apparatuses exchange information on their features via the first and second connections, and then, disconnects the first and second connections. The first communication apparatus acquires information on settings of its communication environment, and then, establishes a third connection with the server apparatus. The second communication apparatus acquires information on settings of its communication environment, and then, establishes a fourth connection with the server apparatus. The first and second communication apparatuses exchange the information on the settings of their communication environments via the third and fourth connections.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes: a main pole; a coil; a first shield having an end face that is located in a medium facing surface at a position forward of an end face of the main pole along a direction of travel of a recording medium; and a first return path section disposed forward of the main pole along the direction of travel of the recording medium. The first return path section connects part of the main pole away from the medium facing surface to the first shield so that a first space is defined. The coil includes a first portion having a planar spiral shape and wound around a core part of the first return path section. The first portion includes first and second coil elements that each extend through the first space. No part of the coil other than the first and second coil elements exists in the first space.

Abstract: A plasmon generator configured to excite a surface plasmon based on light includes a first portion formed of a first metal material and a second portion formed of a second metal material different from the first metal material. The plasmon generator has a front end face. The front end face includes a near-field light generating part that generates near-field light based on the surface plasmon. The second portion includes an end face located in the front end face. The second metal material satisfies at least one of the following requirements: a lower ionization tendency than that of the first metal material; a lower electrical conductivity than that of the first metal material; and a higher Vickers hardness than that of the first metal material.

Abstract: In a laminated semiconductor substrate, a plurality of semiconductor substrates are laminated. Each of the semiconductor substrate has a plurality of scribe-groove parts formed along scribe lines. Further, each of the semiconductor substrate has a plurality of device regions having a semiconductor device formed therein and insulated from each other, and a plurality of wiring electrodes connected to the semiconductor devices respectively formed in the plurality of device regions and extending from the device regions into the inside of the scribe-groove parts. The plurality of wiring electrodes are arranged in a partial arrangement pattern in which the wiring electrodes are arranged along only a part of four boundary sides, corresponding to boundaries between each of the device regions and the scribe-groove parts. Further, the plurality of wiring electrodes extend into the scribe-groove part from only one of two device regions adjacent to each other with the scribe-groove part therebetween.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a lower shield layer, an upper shield layer and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. A method of manufacturing the thin-film magnetic head has a lower shield layer forming step. This step comprises a step of forming a first lower shield part in a lower shield planned area, including a planned line along the medium-opposing surface, a step of forming a partial lower seed layer having a partial arrangement structure in which the partial lower seed layer is arranged on a lower formation zone except a lower exception zone including the planned line, a step of forming a second lower shield part on the partial lower seed layer.

Abstract: A magnetic head with a main pole is provided. The main pole has a bottom end including an inclined portion. A write shield has a first inclined surface opposed to the inclined portion and a second inclined surface that is located farther from a medium facing surface than is the first inclined surface. The first inclined surface has a first end located in the medium facing surface and a second end opposite thereto. The second inclined surface has a third end connected to the second end and a fourth end opposite thereto. The second inclined surface forms a greater angle than does the first inclined surface relative to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface. The distance between the main pole and an arbitrary point on the second inclined surface increases with decreasing distance between the arbitrary point and the fourth end.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes a magnetoresistive element having a recording-medium-facing-surface which is to be faced with a magnetic recording medium; a magnetic bias layer located on a side opposite to the recording-medium-facing-surface of the magnetoresistive element, and applying a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element in a direction orthogonal to the recording-medium-facing-surface; and a resistive film pattern having the recording-medium-facing-surface, the resistive film pattern being located side by side with the magnetoresistive element in a track-width direction.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section is located forward of the main pole in a direction of travel of a recording medium to thereby define a space. The coil includes a first coil element and second coil elements extending to pass through the space. The second coil elements are located forward of the first coil element in the direction of travel of the recording medium. The return path section includes a first portion located such that the first coil element is interposed between the first portion and the medium facing surface, and a second portion located such that the second coil elements are interposed between the second portion and the medium facing surface.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a main pole and a return path section located above a top surface of a substrate. The main pole has an end face located in a medium facing surface. The return path section is located on the front side in the direction of travel of a recording medium relative to the main pole and is farther from the top surface of the substrate than is the main pole. The return path section has: a front end face located on the front side of the main pole in the medium facing surface; and an inclined surface located on the front side and connected to the front end face. The inclined surface is not exposed in the medium facing surface. An angle greater than 90° is formed between the front end face and the inclined surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing the plasmon generator includes the steps of: forming a base part made of a dielectric material; forming a metal film that is to later become the plasmon generator; and forming a filler layer made of a dielectric material. The base part includes a base surface and a protruding part that protrudes from the base surface. The protruding part has a top surface that is different in level from the base surface, and a first sidewall connecting the top surface of the protruding part to the base surface. The metal film includes an adhesion part adhering to the first sidewall. The filler layer has a second sidewall disposed such that the adhesion part is interposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plasmon generator includes the steps of forming an accommodation part and forming the plasmon generator to be accommodated in the accommodation part. The step of forming the accommodation part includes the steps of: forming a dielectric layer having an upper surface; etching the dielectric layer by using an etching mask and thereby forming a groove in the dielectric layer; and forming a dielectric film in the groove. The groove has first and second sidewalls and a bottom. Each of the first and second sidewalls forms an angle in the range of 0° to 15° relative to the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the dielectric layer. The dielectric film includes a first portion interposed between the first sidewall and the first side surface, and a second portion interposed between the second sidewall and the second side surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a write shield layer, a gap layer, and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. The thin-film magnetic head has a leading shield part opposing the main magnetic pole layer on the substrate side of the main magnetic pole layer. The thin-film magnetic head has a substrate side coil layer disposed between the main magnetic pole layer and the substrate. In the thin-film magnetic head, a space between a lower end face of the leading shield part and the substrate and a space between an upper end face in the substrate side coil layer and the substrate are formed equal to each other.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is constructed such that a main magnetic pole layer, a write shield layer, a gap layer, and a thin-film coil are laminated on a substrate. The thin-film magnetic head has a leading shield part opposing the main magnetic pole layer on the substrate side of the main magnetic pole layer. The thin-film magnetic head has a substrate side coil layer disposed between the main magnetic pole layer and the substrate. In the thin-film magnetic head, a space between a lower end face of the leading shield part and the substrate and a space between an upper end face in the substrate side coil layer and the substrate are formed equal to each other.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, a gap part, and a return path section. The return path section is located on the front side in the direction of travel of a recording medium relative to the main pole, and connects the write shield and part of the main pole away from a medium facing surface to each other. The coil includes a specific coil element. The main pole has a top surface including an inclined portion and a flat portion. The write shield has an inclined surface. The inclined surface includes a first portion opposed to the inclined portion with the gap part therebetween, and a second portion located farther from the medium facing surface than the first portion. The specific coil element includes a portion interposed between the flat portion and the second portion.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes: a main pole; a coil; a first shield having an end face that is located in a medium facing surface at a position forward of an end face of the main pole along a direction of travel of a recording medium; and a first return path section disposed forward of the main pole along the direction of travel of the recording medium. The first return path section connects part of the main pole away from the medium facing surface to the first shield so that a first space is defined. The coil includes a first portion having a planar spiral shape and wound around a core part of the first return path section. The first portion includes first and second coil elements that each extend through the first space. No part of the coil other than the first and second coil elements exists in the first space.