Thin-film magnetic head and magnetic storage apparatus using the same

Abstract

To prevent the high-frequency characteristic from deteriorating due to a narrow track. A thin-film magnetic head of the present invention is produced by forming a lower shielding layer, a read gap layer holding an MR magnetosensitive element facing to an ABS plane, a shared pole layer serving as an upper shielding layer and a lower pole layer, and a write gap layer laminated in order on an insulating substrate, by forming a first flattening layer, a coil pattern layer, and a second flattening layer laminated in order on the write gap layer excluding the vicinity of the ABS plane, and by forming an upper pole layer on the write gap layer and second flattening layer nearby the ABS plane. Because magnetic easy axis of the upper pole layer along the ABS plane is oriented in the thickness direction of the upper pole layer, the high-frequency characteristic in the magnetization rotation mode is obtained.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A thin-film magnetic head comprising: 
 a lower pole layer, a write gap layer, and an upper pole layer laminated in order along an ABS plane, wherein the upper pole layer is configured of a front end portion facing to the ABS plane and a yoke portion connected to the front end portion through a junction;    and magnetic easy axis at the front end portion near the ABS plane is oriented in the film thickness direction of the front end portion.    
     
     
         2 . A thin-film magnetic head comprising: 
 a write gap layer formed on a lower pole layer, and a first flattening layer, a coil pattern layer, and a second flattening layer laminated in order on the write gap layer excluding the vicinity of an ABS plane; and an upper pole layer formed on the write gap layer at least nearby the ABS plane, wherein the upper pole layer is configured of a front end portion facing to the ABS plane and a yoke portion connected to the front end portion through a junction, wherein magnetic easy axis at the front end portion at the ABS plane is oriented in the film thickness direction of the front end portion;    and a concave portion is formed on the lower pole layer at a position separated from the ABS plane. The concave portion is filled with a nonmagnetic material, and the gap depth between the upper pole layer and the lower pole layer is determined by the concave portion.    
     
     
         3 . A thin-film magnetic head comprising a lower shielding layer, a read gap layer holding an MR magnetosensitive component facing to an ABS plane, a shared pole layer serving as an upper shielding layer and a lower pole layer, and a write gap layer laminated in order on an insulating substrate; 
 a first flattening layer, a coil pattern layer, and a second flattening layer laminated in order on the write gap layer excluding the vicinity of the ABS plane;    an upper pole layer formed on the write gap layer at least nearby the ABS plane; wherein the upper pole layer is configured of a front end portion    the ABS plane and a yoke portion connected to the front end portion through a junction;    magnetic easy axis at the front end portion at the ABS plane is oriented in the film thickness direction of the front end portion;    and a concave portion is formed on the shared pole layer at a position separated from the ABS plane, the concave portion is filled with a nonmagnetic material, and the gap depth between the upper pole layer and the lower pole layer is determined by the concave portion.    
     
     
         4 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 3   , wherein the MR magnetosensitive element is the GMR type.  
     
     
         5 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 3   , wherein the lower shielding layer is formed through the sputtering method.  
     
     
         6 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 1   , wherein at least the front end portion of the upper pole layer is made of a material having a saturation flux density of 1.6 T or more.  
     
     
         7 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 2   , wherein at least the front end portion of the upper pole layer is made of a material having a saturation flux density of 1.6 T or more.  
     
     
         8 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 3   , wherein at least the front end portion of the upper pole layer is made of a material having a saturation flux density of 1.6 T or more.  
     
     
         9 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 1   , wherein the front end portion on an ABS plane has a film thickness t and a front end portion width W vertical to the direction of the film thickness t meeting the relation t>W.  
     
     
         10 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 2   , wherein the front end portion on an ABS plane has a film thickness t and a front end portion width W vertical to the direction of the film thickness t meeting the relation t>W.  
     
     
         11 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 3   , wherein the front end portion on an ABS plane has a film thickness t and a front end portion width W vertical to the direction of the film thickness t meeting the relation t>W.  
     
     
         12 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 1   , wherein the front end portion on an ABS plane has a film thickness t and a front end portion width W vertical to the direction of the film thickness t meeting the relation t>3 W.  
     
     
         13 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 2   , wherein the front end portion on an ABS plane has a film thickness t and a front end portion width W vertical to the direction of the film thickness t meeting the relation t>3 W.  
     
     
         14 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 3   , wherein the front end portion on an ABS plane has a film thickness t and a front end portion width W vertical to the direction of the film thickness t meeting the relation t>3 W.  
     
     
         15 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 2   , wherein the margin of the concave portion near the ABS-plane becomes narrower toward the ABS plane.  
     
     
         16 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 3   , wherein the margin of the concave portion near the ABS-plane becomes narrower toward the ABS plane.  
     
     
         17 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 1   , wherein the yoke portion at the junction contacts the upper side and the both lateral sides of the front end portion and the write gap layer.  
     
     
         18 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 2   , wherein the yoke portion at the junction contacts the upper side and the both lateral sides of the front end portion and the write gap layer.  
     
     
         19 . The thin-film magnetic head according to    claim 3   , wherein the yoke portion at the junction contacts the upper side and the both lateral sides of the front end portion and the write gap layer.  
     
     
         20 . A magnetic storage apparatus comprising: 
 the thin-film magnetic head of    claim 1   ;    a magnetic storage medium;    and driving means for causing a relative motion between the magnetic storage medium and the thin-film magnetic head.    
     
     
         21 . A magnetic storage apparatus comprising: 
 the thin-film magnetic head of    claim 2   ;    a magnetic storage medium;    and driving means for causing a relative motion between the magnetic storage medium and the thin-film magnetic head.    
     
     
         22 . A magnetic storage apparatus comprising: 
 the thin-film magnetic head of    claim 3   ;    a magnetic storage medium;    and driving means for causing a relative motion between the magnetic storage medium and the thin-film magnetic head.    
     
     
         23 . The magnetic storage apparatus according to    claim 20   , wherein the magnetic storage medium has a track width of 1.2 [micron meter] or less.  
     
     
         24 . The magnetic storage apparatus according to    claim 21   , wherein the magnetic storage medium has a track width of 1.2 [micron meter] or less.  
     
     
         25 . The magnetic storage apparatus according to    claim 22   , wherein the magnetic storage medium has a track width of 1.2 [micron meter] or less.