A method of forming a PMR writer is disclosed wherein at least one of a recessed center section in the write pole trailing edge and a center recessed trailing shield is used to improve the field gradient at track edge. In all embodiments, there is a non-uniform write gap formed between the trailing edge and the trailing shield. The recessed portion of the write pole trailing edge and/or center recess of the trailing shield has a thickness from 10 to 40 nm in a down-track direction and a width in a cross-track direction of 20 to 200 nm. The distance between the center recess and a corner of the trailing edge is from 20 to 80 nm. A sequence of steps is provided to fabricate the two embodiments of the present invention.

A write head having a main pole, a gap layer, and at least two sacrificial layers. In accordance with one embodiment, a method includes depositing a non-magnetic gap layer of material above a main pole layer of magnetic material; depositing a sacrificial layer of material above the non-magnetic gap layer of material; etching a portion of the sacrificial layer of material while not entirely removing the sacrificial layer of material; and depositing additional sacrificial material to the etched sacrificial layer.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes an air-bearing surface, a main magnetic pole, a write shield opposed to the main magnetic pole with a write gap therebetween, a high-frequency oscillator which includes a spin injection layer and a oscillation layer and is provided between the main magnetic pole and the write shield, the oscillation layer and the spin injection layer including a stack surface extending in a direction intersecting with the air-bearing surface, and a magnetic material layer which is provided in at least one of the main magnetic pole and the write shield, faces the high-frequency oscillator, and has negative magnetic anisotropy with respect to a direction intersecting with the stack surfaces of the high-frequency oscillator.

According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes an air-bearing surface, a main magnetic pole, a write shield opposed to the main magnetic pole with a write gap therebetween, a high-frequency oscillator which includes a spin injection layer and a oscillation layer and is provided between the main magnetic pole and the write shield, the oscillation layer and the spin injection layer including a stack surface extending in a direction intersecting with the air-bearing surface, and a magnetic material layer which is provided in at least one of the main magnetic pole and the write shield, faces the high-frequency oscillator, and has negative magnetic anisotropy with respect to a direction intersecting with the stack surfaces of the high-frequency oscillator.