A magnetic write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS), a pole having leading and trailing surfaces, a trailing shield having a pole-facing surface, a write gap and coil(s). The pole's trailing surface has a portion adjoining the MFS and oriented at a nonzero, acute bevel angle from a direction perpendicular to the MFS. The pole-facing surface includes a first portion adjoining the MFS and oriented at a first angle substantially the same as the bevel angle, a second portion oriented at a second angle greater than the first trailing shield angle, and a third portion oriented at a third angle substantially the same as the first angle. The write gap has first, second and third thicknesses adjacent to the first, second and third portions of the pole-facing surface, respectively. The first thickness is constant. The second thickness varies. The third thickness is constant and greater than the first thickness.

A magnetic write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS), a pole having leading and trailing surfaces, a trailing shield having a pole-facing surface, a write gap and coil(s). The pole's trailing surface has a portion adjoining the MFS and oriented at a nonzero, acute bevel angle from a direction perpendicular to the MFS. The pole-facing surface includes a first portion adjoining the MFS and oriented at a first angle substantially the same as the bevel angle, a second portion oriented at a second angle greater than the first trailing shield angle, and a third portion oriented at a third angle substantially the same as the first angle. The write gap has first, second and third thicknesses adjacent to the first, second and third portions of the pole-facing surface, respectively. The first thickness is constant. The second thickness varies. The third thickness is constant and greater than the first thickness.

A method provides a magnetic transducer having a media-facing surface (MFS). The method includes providing a pole, providing a side gap, providing coil(s) for energizing the pole and providing side shield(s). A portion of the pole resides at the MFS. The side gap is between the pole and the side shield(s). The side shield(s) have a gradient in a saturation magnetization such that the saturation magnetization increases in a yoke direction perpendicular to the MFS. The step of providing the side shield(s) further includes providing a nonmagnetic structure having a side surface parallel to the MFS and providing at least one side shield layer. A portion of the side shield layer(s) are on the side surface. The portion of the side shield layer(s) has the gradient in the saturation magnetization. At least part of the side shield being formed by the portion of the side shield layer(s).

A magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording includes a read head unit, a write head unit disposed forward of the read head unit along the direction of travel of a recording medium, a heater that generates heat for causing the medium facing surface to protrude in part, an expansion layer that makes part of the medium facing surface protrude, and a sensor that detects contact of the part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium. The write head unit includes a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section includes a yoke layer located backward of the main pole along the direction of travel of the recording medium, a first coupling part that couples the yoke layer and the write shield to each other, and a second coupling part that is located away from the medium facing surface and couples the yoke layer and the main pole to each other.

A magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording includes a read head unit, a write head unit disposed forward of the read head unit along the direction of travel of a recording medium, a heater that generates heat for causing the medium facing surface to protrude in part, an expansion layer that makes part of the medium facing surface protrude, and a sensor that detects contact of the part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium. The write head unit includes a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section includes a yoke layer located backward of the main pole along the direction of travel of the recording medium, a first coupling part that couples the yoke layer and the write shield to each other, and a second coupling part that is located away from the medium facing surface and couples the yoke layer and the main pole to each other.

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a magnetic sensor structure, a magnetic shield having at least one laminate pair comprising a magnetic layer and an electrically nonconductive nonmagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the sensor structure and the magnetic shield. In one embodiment, a deposition thickness of the nonconductive nonmagnetic layer in each laminate pair is about 10% or less of a total deposition thickness of the laminate pair. In another embodiment, a deposition thickness of the nonconductive nonmagnetic layer in each laminate pair is between about 1 and about 12 nanometers. In yet another embodiment, the magnetic shield has at least one second laminate pair, and a nonlaminated magnetic portion sandwiched between the at least one laminate pair and the at least one second laminate pair.

An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a magnetic sensor structure, a magnetic shield having at least one laminate pair comprising a magnetic layer and an electrically nonconductive nonmagnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic spacer layer between the sensor structure and the magnetic shield. In one embodiment, a deposition thickness of the nonconductive nonmagnetic layer in each laminate pair is about 10% or less of a total deposition thickness of the laminate pair. In another embodiment, a deposition thickness of the nonconductive nonmagnetic layer in each laminate pair is between about 1 and about 12 nanometers. In yet another embodiment, the magnetic shield has at least one second laminate pair, and a nonlaminated magnetic portion sandwiched between the at least one laminate pair and the at least one second laminate pair.

A magnetic write apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS), a pole, a write gap, a top shield and coil(s). The pole includes a yoke and a pole tip. The pole tip includes a bottom, a top wider than the bottom and first and second sides. The pole tip has a height between the top and the bottom. At least part of the top of the pole tip is convex in a cross-track direction between the first and second sides such that the height at the MFS is larger between the first and second sides than at the first and second sides. The height increases in a yoke direction perpendicular to the MFS. The write gap is adjacent to and conformal with the top of the pole at the MFS and is between part of the top shield and the pole. The top shield is concave at the MFS.

A PMR (perpendicular magnetic recording) write head configured for microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) in the form of spin assisted writing (SAW) or spin torque oscillation (STO) includes a spin-torque oscillator (STO) or SAW device and trailing shield formed of high moment magnetic material (HMTS). By patterning the STO or SAW and the HMTS in a simultaneous process the HMTS and the STO or SAW layers are precisely aligned and have very similar cross-track widths. In addition, the write gap at an off-center location has a thickness that is independent from its center-track thickness and the write gap total width can have a flexible range whose minimum value is the same width as the STO or SAW width.

A PMR (perpendicular magnetic recording) write head configured for thermally assisted magnetic recording (TAMR) and microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) is made adaptive to writing at different frequencies by inserting thin layers of magnetic material into the material filling the side gaps (SG) between the magnetic pole (MP) and the side shields (SS). At high frequencies, the thin magnetic layers saturate and lower the magnetic potential of the bulky side shields