PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD HAVING RETURN PATH LAYER AND GAP ADJUSTING LAYER

• US 20070041127A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kameda, Hiroshi, Yazawa, Hisayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,692,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/125.120
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/1278 specially adapted for magnetisations perpendicular to the surface of the record carrier

Abstract

A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole layer and a return path layer that are exposed from a medium-facing surface of the recording head facing a recording medium and that face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween at the medium-facing surface. A coil layer applies a recording magnetic field to the main pole layer and the return path layer. The return path layer includes a gap adjusting layer and a main layer stacked in that order from a side facing the main pole layer. The gap adjusting layer is positioned so as to face the main pole layer and the recording medium, and is made of a magnetic material having a resistivity lower than resistivities of the main layer and the main pole layer.

Claims

1. A perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising:

a main pole layer;

a return path layer; and

a coil layer,

wherein the return path layer includes a gap adjusting layer and a main layer.

2. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the main pole layer is exposed from a medium-facing surface of the recording head that faces a recording medium.

3. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 2, wherein the return path layer is exposed from the medium-facing surface and faces the main pole layer with a predetermined gap therebetween at the medium-facing surface.

4. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the coil layer applies a recording magnetic field to the main pole layer and the return path layer.

5. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer and the main layer are stacked in that order from a side that faces the main pole layer.

6. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer faces the main pole layer and the recording medium.

7. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 5, wherein the gap adjusting layer is positioned so as to face the main pole layer and a recording medium.

8. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer is made of a magnetic material having a resistivity lower than resistivities of the main layer and the main pole layer.

9. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 5, wherein the gap adjusting layer is made of a magnetic material having a resistivity lower than resistivities of the main layer and the main pole layer.

10. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the return path layer comprises three or more layers.

11. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the layers are arranged from a side that faces the main pole layer in order of increasing resistivity.

12. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer faces at least the recording medium and the main pole layer.

13. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer is provided under the entire surface of the main layer.

14. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer is provided under a portion of the main layer.

15. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer has a thickness of 300 nm or less.

16. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 1, wherein the gap adjusting layer has a thickness of 300 nm or less.

17. A perpendicular magnetic recording head comprising:

a main pole layer exposed from a medium-facing surface of the recording head facing a recording medium;

a return path layer exposed from the medium-facing surface and facing the main pole layer with a predetermined gap therebetween at the medium-facing surface; and

a coil layer for applying a recording magnetic field to the main pole layer and the return path layer,

wherein the return path layer includes a gap adjusting layer and a main layer stacked in that order from a side facing the main pole layer, and

wherein the gap adjusting layer is positioned so as to face the main pole layer and the recording medium, and is made of a magnetic material having a resistivity lower than resistivities of the main layer and the main pole layer.

18. The perpendicular magnetic recording head according to claim 17, wherein the gap adjusting layer has a thickness of 300 nm or less.