Perpendicular Magnetic Recording Head and Method of Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

Provided are a perpendicular magnetic recording head and a method of manufacturing the same. The perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole including a pole tip applying a recording magnetic field to a recording medium, a coil surrounding the main pole in a solenoid shape such that recording magnetic field for recording information to a recording medium is generated at the pole tip, and a return yoke forming a magnetic path for the recording magnetic field together with the main pole and surrounding a portion of the coil passing above the main pole. The number of times that the coil passes above the main pole is smaller than the number of times that the coil passes below the main pole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 forming a lower coil layer, a main pole, and a first insulation layer;   forming an upper coil layer on the first insulation layer;   forming a pole tip at an end of the main pole by etching the first insulation layer and the main pole using the upper coil layer as an etch mask, the pole becoming thinner toward the pole tip;   forming a second insulation layer over the upper coil layer and the pole tip; and   forming a return yoke over the second insulation layer, the return yoke surrounding the upper coil layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lower coil layer and the upper coil layer form a solenoid shaped coil surrounding the main pole, and the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes above the main pole is smaller than the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes below the main pole. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lower coil layer and the upper coil layer form a solenoid shaped coil surrounding the main pole, and the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes above the main pole is given by N, and the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes below the main pole is given by N+1. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lower coil layer and the upper coil layer form a solenoid shaped coil surrounding the main pole, and the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes above the main pole is smaller than the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes below the main pole, such that the number of turns of the solenoid shaped coil is given by N+0.5. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a gap is defined between the pole tip and a first end of the return yoke facing the pole tip. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a gap is defined between the pole tip and a first end of the return yoke facing the pole tip, and a second end of the return yoke is coupled to the main pole. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the main pole is formed of a material having saturation magnetic flux density greater than that of a material forming the return yoke. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a sub yoke on either a top surface or a bottom surface of the main pole. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sub yoke is configured to concentrate a recording magnetic field at the pole tip. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 forming a main pole, a first insulation layer, and a coil layer including a front coil and a back coil;   forming a pole tip at an end of the main pole by etching the first insulation layer and the main pole using the front coil as an etch mask, the main pole becoming thinner toward the pole tip;   forming a second insulation layer over the front coil and the pole tip; and   forming a return yoke over the second insulation layer, the return yoke surrounding the front coil.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the back coil and the front coil form a planar spiral shaped coil surrounding the return yoke, and the number of times that the planar spiral shaped coil passes in front of the return yoke is smaller than the number of times that the planar spiral shaped coil passes behind the return yoke. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the back coil and the front coil form a planar spiral shaped coil surrounding the return yoke, and the number of times that the planar spiral shaped coil passes in front of the return yoke is given by N, and the number of times that the planar spiral shaped coil passes behind the return yoke is given by N+1. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the back coil and the front coil form a planar spiral shaped coil surrounding the return yoke, and the number of times that the planar spiral shaped coil passes in front of the return yoke is smaller than the number of times that the planar spiral shaped coil passes behind the return yoke, such that the number of turns of the planar spiral shaped coil is given by N+0.5. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a gap is defined between the pole tip and a first end of the return yoke facing the pole tip. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a gap is defined between the pole tip and a first end of the return yoke facing the pole tip, and a second end of the return yoke is coupled to the main pole. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the main pole is formed of a material having saturation magnetic flux density greater than that of a material forming the return yoke. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising forming a sub yoke on either a top surface or a bottom surface of the main pole. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the sub yoke is configured to concentrate a recording magnetic field at the pole tip. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 forming a lower coil, a main pole, and an upper coil;   forming a pole tip at an end of the main pole using the upper coil as an etch mask, the pole becoming thinner toward the pole tip; and   forming a return yoke, the return yoke surrounding the upper coil.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the lower coil and the upper coil form a solenoid shaped coil surrounding the main pole, and the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes above the main pole is smaller than the number of times that the solenoid shaped coil passes below the main pole.