THIN FILM MAGNETIC HEAD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a more stable and efficient working stage of a recording gap and a magnetic core of a thin film magnetic head utilizing reactive etching. SOLUTION: When the recording gap is formed by the reactive etching using a mixed gas of CHF3 or CF4 and Ar and successively a lower part magnetic core is formed by etching, after an upper part magnetic core is formed, the surface of a substrate except the upper part magnetic core and its peripheral part is covered by a thin metal film and a part exposed at a peripheral part of the magnetic core of a non-magnetic layer is removed by using the reactive etching having an etching rate higher than that for a magnetic layer and successively a lower part magnetic core butting part exposed at the peripheral part of the upper part magnetic core is worked by using ion beam etching having an etching rate higher than that for the non-magnetic layer. The quantity of needless etched substances re-adhered to the upper part magnetic core and the recording gap at the time of etching is suppressed by this method and the work of high efficient and stable track width precision can be performed.