Thin film magnetic head with coil windings receiving trench

Abstract

A thin film magnetic head having a substrate, magnetic head components and a superstrate formed of materials which are highly resistive to being abraded by a magnetic media being moved thereacross is shown. The magnetic head includes a magnetic bottom pole piece having a front gap section and a rearward extending portion. A lateral wall layer formed of a magnetic material and of predetermined thickness, has a forward wall section and a rearward wall section which define a coil windings receiving trench adjacent the front gap section of the bottom pole piece layer. The bottom pole piece forms a bottom enclosure for the coil windings receiving trench. A coil having coil windings is formed on the bottom pole piece and the coil windings thickness is less than the thickness of the lateral wall layer. An insulating structure having a thin gap defining section is located in the transducing gap and a thick coil windings enclosing portion is located in the coil winding receiving trench formed between sections in the lateral wall layer. The thin gap defining portion establishes the thickness of a magnetic transducing gap and the thick coil windings enclosing portion encloses that portion of the coil windings located in the coil windings receiving trench. A magnetic top pole piece layer, including a contoured outer surface having a step formed therein, bridges from the forward wall section to a rearward wall section to enclose the coil windings receiving trench.