Thin film magnetic head and magnetic recording apparatus

摘要

Provided is a thin film magnetic head capable of securing recording characteristics even in the case where a return pole layer is disposed on a medium-outgoing side of the pole layer. The return yoke layer is disposed on a trailing side of the pole layer, and a neck height NH is within a range of NH<=W1 (a width of a front end portion in a main pole layer)+0.05 mum, and a height ratio (a ratio of the neck height NH to a throat height TH) NH/TH is within a range of 0.5<NH/TH<1.6. Thereby, the neck height NH and the height ratio NH/TH which have an influence on the recording characteristics can become appropriate, so even if the thickness of the gap layer is 0.2 mum or less to bring the return yoke layer closer to the pole layer, overwrite characteristics can be secured.