Magnetic head and method of manufacturing magnetic head

Abstract

A magnetic head has a recording/reproducing element which is embedded in an insulation layer made of an AlO.sub.x thin film and a leading end of which is positioned at a medium opposed face. A high-hardness coating layer or a high-thermal conductivity coating layer made of diamond-like carbon or the like is disposed on a peripheral region of the medium opposed face, excluding the leading end of the recording/reproducing element and a region in the neighborhood thereof. Even in the case where the magnetic head is applied to a magnetic disk apparatus of contact recording/reproducing system, it is possible to greatly restrain wear of the leading end of the recording/reproducing element and the region in the neighborhood thereof. Further, the heat dissipation characteristic of the leading end of the recording/reproducing element can be improved greatly. The dishing of the leading end of the recording/reproducing element can be reduced to a great extent by so etching the peripheral region of the medium opposed face that the leading end of the recording/reproducing element is projected; forming the high-hardness coating layer on an etched region; and processing the projected region by wear in a final process.