Abstract: A thin film magnetic recording head having a multilayer structure in which plural thin films are laminated and being a perpendicular recording type that applies a magnetic field perpendicularly to a magnetic recording medium and performs recording, includes a main magnetic pole exposed on an air bearing surface facing the magnetic recording medium and guiding a magnetic flux toward the magnetic recording medium, a thin film positioned beneath the main magnetic pole from a perspective of a lamination direction and configuring a sensor or a heater configured to determine a distance from the magnetic recording medium of the thin film magnetic recording head, and a light-absorbing portion positioned between the main magnetic pole and the thin film.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head has a high write performance because its shape is smooth without roughness. The thin-film magnetic head includes a slider substrate, a write element and an antireflection film. The slider substrate has an air bearing surface at one side and supports a first support layer. The first support layer has a leading shield, and the leading shield has a low-level flat part, a slope part and a high-level flat part continuously arranged at one side in the recited order toward the air bearing surface. The antireflection film entirely covers the low-level flat part, the slope part and the high-level flat part of the leading shield. The write element has a recording magnetic pole film, and the recording magnetic pole film is formed above the antireflection film.

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: 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 PMR writer is disclosed wherein a magnetic assist layer (MAL) made of an anisotropic (?Ku) or (+Ku) magnetic material is formed along a main pole trailing side to optimize the vertical magnetic field and field gradient at the air bearing surface. A Ru seed layer is formed between the main pole and (?Ku) MAL to induce a hard axis direction toward the main pole. A (?Ku) MAL is preferably comprised of hcp-CoIr while CoPt and FePt are examples of a (+Ku) MAL. The MAL has a down-track thickness from 5 to 20 nm, a width equal to the track width in a cross-track direction, and extends 100 to 500 nm in a direction toward a back end of the main pole. As a result, flux leakage from the main pole to trailing shield is reduced and aerial density is increased. A method for fabricating the PMR writer is provided.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head has a plurality of electrode terminals formed on substantially the same surface as the head formation surface on which magnetic head element is laminated. The plurality of electrode terminals is arranged in an array near and along the second side of the head formation surface that is opposite the first side on the ABS side, from which the functional end of the magnetic head is exposed. The plurality of electrode terminals is formed to include a pad and a protrusion formed along a part of the periphery of the pad.