Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is capable of securing an insulating property and minimizing the projection of a recording element section due to heat expansion. The thin-film magnetic head includes a pair of magnetic layers disposed with a predetermined gap therebetween on a surface facing a recording medium. The layers are connected to each other along an inner part in a height direction from the medium-facing surface. A spiral recording coil is disposed between the pair of magnetic layers and wound around a connecting portion of the pair of magnetic layers. The recording coil includes a dense coil portion formed with a pitch smaller than that of the inner part in the height direction so as to be closer to the medium-facing surface than the connecting portion. An organic insulating layer is locally formed to fill coil gaps of the dense coil portion, and coil gaps other than those of the dense coil portion are filled with an inorganic insulating layer.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a plurality of coil elements disposed in a space defined by a lower core layer, a pole layer, and a back gap layer. A coil insulator fills the space so as to cover the coil elements. The top face of the pole layer, the top face of the coil insulator, the top faces of the coil elements, and the top face of the back gap layer form a planarized plane. The coil elements are disposed on a recess formed on the lower core layer. The bottom faces of the coil elements are disposed at substantially the same height as the top face of the lower core layer. The top faces of the coil elements lie in the planarized plane.