High density dual gap magnetic head using polar Kerr effect

摘要

A magnetic head comprising a magnetic path and a vertically magnetizable film. The magnetic path contains a first gap facing a magnetic recording medium and a second gap. The vertically magnetizable film is formed across the second gap on the principal plane or outer circumference of the magnetic path. A linearly polarized light beam is irradiated onto the vertically magnetizable film and the resulting reversal of magnetization in the vertically magnetizable film is detected through the use of a polar Kerr effect. This scheme allows data to be reproduced with sufficient sensitivity from tracks of very small widths.