Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided, in which the amount of protrusion in the periphery of an element portion can be reduced or a local temperature increase of electrode leads of a heating element can be prevented. The thin film magnetic head includes a playback element disposed between lower and upper shield layers, a recording element laminated on the upper shield layer, a heating element which is disposed below a coil layer and which generates heat to allow the playback element to protrude toward the recording medium side through thermal expansion, and a pair of electrode leads including overlapping regions, which are in contact with rear ends of the heating element and which overlap with the upper shield layer, and heat dissipation regions. Furthermore, connection wiring portions of the pair of electrode leads are disposed in a region sandwiched between the upper shield layer and a magnetic layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises a reproducing element formed on an undercoat film on a head substrate surface, a recording element formed on the upper side of the reproducing element, and a heater formed on the upper or lower side of the reproducing element, the heater generating heat upon energization so as to project at least the reproducing element by thermal expansion toward a recording medium. A shield layer is formed between the reproducing element and the heater by a plurality of layers including at least first and second shield layers. In the first and second shield layers, the second upper shield layer located closer to the heater is formed by a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion smaller than that of the first shield layer located closer to the reproducing element.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes a recording and playback element, a lead conductor layer for feeding a power to the recording and playback element, an electrically conductive bump for conductively connecting the lead conductor layer to an electrode pad for external connection, and an insulating protective layer filling between the recording and playback element and the electrically conductive bump. A thermal deformation-preventing layer composed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of the insulating protective layer is disposed in the insulating protective layer in such a way as to locate between a medium-facing surface and the electrically conductive bump without being exposed at the medium-facing surface. In the resulting thin film magnetic head, protrusion of the recording and playback element toward the recording medium side can be prevented without changing the configuration of the recording and playback element nor the forming material.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer exposed to an opposing surface opposite a recording medium, applying a perpendicular recording magnetic field to the recording medium; a return yoke layer disposed in the opposing surface opposite the recording medium above or below the main magnetic pole layer, the return yoke layer receiving the recording magnetic field returning thereto after passing through the recording medium; and a planarized nonmagnetic layer filling the surroundings of the return yoke layer to planarized the return yoke layer. Inclined or curved surfaces are formed at both sides in a track width direction of the return yoke layer, the inclined or curved surfaces gradually broadening the dimension of the return yoke layer in the track width direction as the inclined or curved surfaces extend from front end surfaces thereof exposed to the opposing surface opposite the recording medium in the height direction.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided, in which the amount of protrusion in the periphery of an element portion can be reduced or a local temperature increase of electrode leads of a heating element can be prevented. The thin film magnetic head includes a playback element disposed between lower and upper shield layers, a recording element laminated on the upper shield layer, a heating element which is disposed below a coil layer and which generates heat to allow the playback element to protrude toward the recording medium side through thermal expansion, and a pair of electrode leads including overlapping regions, which are in contact with rear ends of the heating element and which overlap with the upper shield layer, and heat dissipation regions. Furthermore, connection wiring portions of the pair of electrode leads are disposed in a region sandwiched between the upper shield layer and a magnetic layer.

Abstract: In a perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer which are laminated with a magnetic gap layer interposed therebetween, a nonmagnetic throat height determining layer and a return yoke reinforcement layer made of a magnetic material having a saturated magnetic flux density higher than that of the return yoke layer are provided on the magnetic gap layer. The nonmagnetic throat height determining layer has a front end face parallel to the medium-opposing surface at a position retracted by a desirable throat height from the medium-opposing surface. The return yoke reinforcement layer is formed directly under the return yoke layer so as to extend at least from the front end face of the nonmagnetic throat height determining layer to the upper face thereof, and is exposed at the medium-opposing surface between the magnetic gap layer and return yoke layer.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is disclosed that is capable of improving the thermal efficiency of a heater. A thin film magnetic head includes: a lower shield layer; an upper shield layer; a reproducing element that is provided between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer; a recording element that is formed on the upper shield layer; a heater that generates heat to expand at least one of the reproducing element and the recording element such that the reproducing element and/or the recording element protrude toward a recording medium; and a shunt line that applies a reference potential that is equal to the potentials of the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer to a magnetic layer of the recording element. In the thin film magnetic head, the shunt line is connected to the magnetic layer of the recording element at a position that deviates from the center of a heat generating region of the heater in a track width direction.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided, in which the amount of protrusion in the periphery of an element portion can be reduced or a local temperature increase of electrode leads of a heating element can be prevented. The thin film magnetic head includes a playback element disposed between lower and upper shield layers, a recording element laminated on the upper shield layer, a heating element which is disposed below a coil layer and which generates heat to allow the playback element to protrude toward the recording medium side through thermal expansion, and a pair of electrode leads including overlapping regions, which are in contact with rear ends of the heating element and which overlap with the upper shield layer, and heat dissipation regions. Furthermore, connection wiring portions of the pair of electrode leads are disposed in a region sandwiched between the upper shield layer and a magnetic layer.

Abstract: In a perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising a main magnetic pole layer and a return yoke layer which are laminated with a magnetic gap layer interposed therebetween, a nonmagnetic throat height determining layer and a return yoke reinforcement layer made of a magnetic material having a saturated magnetic flux density higher than that of the return yoke layer are provided on the magnetic gap layer. The nonmagnetic throat height determining layer has a front end face parallel to the medium-opposing surface at a position retracted by a desirable throat height from the medium-opposing surface. The return yoke reinforcement layer is formed directly under the return yoke layer so as to extend at least from the front end face of the nonmagnetic throat height determining layer to the upper face thereof, and is exposed at the medium-opposing surface between the magnetic gap layer and return yoke layer.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head comprises a reproducing element formed on an undercoat film on a head substrate surface, a recording element formed on the upper side of the reproducing element, and a heater formed on the upper or lower side of the reproducing element, the heater generating heat upon energization so as to project at least the reproducing element by thermal expansion toward a recording medium. A shield layer is formed between the reproducing element and the heater by a plurality of layers including at least first and second shield layers. In the first and second shield layers, the second upper shield layer located closer to the heater is formed by a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion smaller than that of the first shield layer located closer to the reproducing element.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer exposed to an opposing surface opposite a recording medium, applying a perpendicular recording magnetic field to the recording medium; a return yoke layer disposed in the opposing surface opposite the recording medium above or below the main magnetic pole layer, the return yoke layer receiving the recording magnetic field returning thereto after passing through the recording medium; and a planarized nonmagnetic layer filling the surroundings of the return yoke layer to planarized the return yoke layer. Inclined or curved surfaces are formed at both sides in a track width direction of the return yoke layer, the inclined or curved surfaces gradually broadening the dimension of the return yoke layer in the track width direction as the inclined or curved surfaces extend from front end surfaces thereof exposed to the opposing surface opposite the recording medium in the height direction.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is disclosed that is capable of improving the thermal efficiency of a heater. A thin film magnetic head includes: a lower shield layer; an upper shield layer; a reproducing element that is provided between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer; a recording element that is formed on the upper shield layer; a heater that generates heat to expand at least one of the reproducing element and the recording element such that the reproducing element and/or the recording element protrude toward a recording medium; and a shunt line that applies a reference potential that is equal to the potentials of the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer to a magnetic layer of the recording element. In the thin film magnetic head, the shunt line is connected to the magnetic layer of the recording element at a position that deviates from the center of a heat generating region of the heater in a track width direction.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes a recording and playback element, a lead conductor layer for feeding a power to the recording and playback element, an electrically conductive bump for conductively connecting the lead conductor layer to an electrode pad for external connection, and an insulating protective layer filling between the recording and playback element and the electrically conductive bump. A thermal deformation-preventing layer composed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of the insulating protective layer is disposed in the insulating protective layer in such a way as to locate between a medium-facing surface and the electrically conductive bump without being exposed at the medium-facing surface. In the resulting thin film magnetic head, protrusion of the recording and playback element toward the recording medium side can be prevented without changing the configuration of the recording and playback element nor the forming material.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided, in which the amount of protrusion in the periphery of an element portion can be reduced or a local temperature increase of electrode leads of a heating element can be prevented. The thin film magnetic head includes a playback element disposed between lower and upper shield layers, a recording element laminated on the upper shield layer, a heating element which is disposed below a coil layer and which generates heat to allow the playback element to protrude toward the recording medium side through thermal expansion, and a pair of electrode leads including overlapping regions, which are in contact with rear ends of the heating element and which overlap with the upper shield layer, and heat dissipation regions. Furthermore, connection wiring portions of the pair of electrode leads are disposed in a region sandwiched between the upper shield layer and a magnetic layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic head slider including rails formed on the medium-facing surface on the magnetic disk side for generating buoyant force so that the slider flies and moves above a magnetic disk to write or read magnetic information. In the magnetic head slider, a first carbon film having corrosion resistance is provided on the surfaces of the rails provided on the medium-facing surface of the slider body through an adhesive layer, protrusions formed by alternately laminating an intermediate film and a second carbon film are provided on the first carbon film, and at least the outermost second carbon film of the second carbon films, which constitute each of the protrusions, has abrasion resistance.

Abstract: A magnetic element has a shape in which the outside portions of a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, which protrude from both side ends of a trailing-side ABS to both side ends of a slider, retreat from a magnetic functional portion G so as not to be exposed at a protecting layer. Therefore, it is possible to decrease a flying amount between the magnetic functional portion and a disk, and impart design freedom to the slider, thereby permitting the manufacture of a magnetic head having excellent corrosion resistance and adaptable to a higher recording density.

Abstract: A magnetic element has a shape in which the outside portions of a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, which protrude from both side ends of a trailing-side ABS to both side ends of a slider, retreat from a magnetic functional portion G so as not to be exposed at a protecting layer. Therefore, it is possible to decrease a flying amount between the magnetic functional portion and a disk, and impart design freedom to the slider, thereby permitting the manufacture of a magnetic head having excellent corrosion resistance and adaptable to a higher recording density.

Abstract: A trailing ABS face, which is a surface generating positive pressure, is formed to rise from a surface facing a recording medium, which is a surface generating negative pressure, toward the recording medium and furthermore, a surface facing the element, in which a gap portion of a magnetic element is located, is formed to rise from the trailing ABS face. Thereby, the floating lift of a magnetic head can be reduced while the floating position can be stabilized and furthermore, collision of the magnetic head with a disk surface can be properly avoided.

Abstract: A magnetic element has a shape in which the outside portions of a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer, which protrude from both side ends of a trailing-side ABS to both side ends of a slider, retreat from a magnetic functional portion G so as not to be exposed at a protecting layer. Therefore, it is possible to decrease a flying amount between the magnetic functional portion and a disk, and impart design freedom to the slider, thereby permitting the manufacture of a magnetic head having excellent corrosion resistance and adaptable to a higher recording density.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic head slider including rails formed on the medium-facing surface on the magnetic disk side for generating buoyant force so that the slider flies and moves above a magnetic disk to write or read magnetic information. In the magnetic head slider, a first carbon film having corrosion resistance is provided on the surface of the rails provided on the medium-facing surface of the slider body through an adhesive layer, protrusions formed by alternately laminating an intermediate film and a second carbon film are provided on the first carbon film, and at least the outermost second carbon film of the second carbon films, which constitute each of the protrusions, has abrasion resistance.