Thin film magnetic head in which thermal protrusion is suppressed and method of forming the same

A thin film magnetic head is provided, in which thermal protrusion can be suppressed. The thin film magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer which conducts a magnetic flux into the recording medium so that the recording medium is magnetized in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the recording medium, a first return yoke layer provided in a trailing side of the main magnetic pole layer, and has a recess in a top surface, a second return yoke layer provided so as to fill at least the recess of the first return yoke layer, and a thermal expansion suppression layer provided in a trailing side of the second return yoke layer. Thus, since the thermal expansion suppression layer can be provided on a surface having no recess, a possibility of a crack in the thermal expansion suppression layer can be eliminated.