Detecting wedge angle with a third electric lapping guide (ELG) during manufacture of a magnetic head

1. A magnetic head, comprising:

a read element;

a write element;

a write upper shield positioned in a downtrack direction from the write element;

a first resistance detecting element positioned on an air bearing surface (ABS) side in a first cross-track direction from the read element;

a second resistance detecting element positioned on the ABS side in a second cross-track direction from the write element;

a third resistance detecting element positioned on the ABS side in a third cross-track direction from the write upper shield;

a protective film positioned near the read element, the write element, the write upper shield, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element; and

terminals positioned on an end surface side of the magnetic head, the terminals being coupled to the write element, the read element, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element.

2. The magnetic head as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a heating element and a flying height detecting element positioned on the ABS side.

3. A magnetic data storage system, comprising:

at least one magnetic head as recited in claim 1 ;

a magnetic medium;

a drive mechanism for passing the magnetic medium over the at least one magnetic head; and

a controller electrically coupled to the at least one magnetic head for controlling operation of the at least one magnetic head.

4. The magnetic head as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second and third cross-track directions are the same direction, and wherein the second and third resistance detecting elements are positioned an equal distance from a centerline of the read element in the cross-track direction.

5. The magnetic head as recited in claim 1 , wherein the terminals are coupled to the write element, the read element, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element using fine gold wires having a diameter of about 30 μm.

6. The magnetic head as recited in claim 1 , wherein the read element and the write element are coupled to a shared terminal.

7. The magnetic head as recited in claim 1 , wherein the protective film has through holes therethrough adapted for allowing coupling of the terminals to the write element, the read element, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element.

8. A method for forming a magnetic head, the method comprising:

forming a read element;

forming a write element;

forming a write upper shield;

forming a first resistance detecting element near the read element in a first cross-track direction from the read element;

forming a second resistance detecting element near the write element in a second cross-track direction from the write element;

forming a third resistance detecting element near the write upper shield in a third cross-track direction from the write upper shield;

forming a protective film above the read element, the write element, the write upper shield, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element; and

coupling the write element, the read element, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element to terminals which are positioned on an end surface of the magnetic head.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the terminals are coupled to the write element, the read element, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element using fine gold wires having a diameter of about 30 μm.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the read element, the write element, the write upper shield, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element are formed in sequence above a substrate comprising Al 2 O 3 —TiC.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:

cutting the substrate into row bars for aligning a plurality of magnetic heads;

coupling terminals for the first, second, and third resistance detecting elements to a resistance detecting board of a polishing device;

polishing an air bearing surface (ABS) of each row bar using the polishing device in order to determine the offsets of the read element and the write element in a direction opposite the ABS;

converting a resistance value obtained from the first, second, and third resistance detecting elements into a height of a respective element; and

calculating offsets of the read element and the write element.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising finishing and polishing the ABS to produce an element height of the read element.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:

forming a heating element; and

forming a flying height detecting element,

wherein the heating element and the flying height detecting element are formed below the protective film.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second and third cross-track directions are the same direction, and wherein the second and third resistance detecting elements are formed an equal distance from a centerline of the read element in the cross-track direction.

15. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the read element and the write element are coupled to a shared terminal.

16. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein calculating the offset of the write element comprises method of least squares.

17. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising forming through holes in the protective film adapted for coupling the write element, the read element, the first resistance detecting element, the second resistance detecting element, and the third resistance detecting element to the terminals.