Energy assisted magnetic recording head having improved areal density capability

A magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a main pole;
• a seed layer disposed on the main pole, the seed layer being disposed at a media facing surface;
• a spin torque layer disposed on the seed layer, the spin torque layer having a first height in a stripe height direction, wherein a first surface of the spin torque layer is disposed at the media facing surface;
• a spacer layer disposed on the spin torque layer, the spacer layer having a first surface and a second surface;
• and
• a trailing shield disposed on the first surface of the spacer layer, wherein:
• the second surface of the spacer layer is disposed on the spin torque layer, and
• an end of the second surface is recessed from the media facing surface.

A magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a main pole;
• a seed layer disposed on the main pole;
• a spin torque layer disposed on the seed layer;
• and
• a spacer layer disposed on the spin torque layer, the spacer layer having a trapezoidal shape, wherein:
• a first surface of the spacer layer disposed adjacent to and in contact with the spin torque layer has a first cross-track width less than a second cross-track width of a second surface of the spacer layer disposed opposite the first surface of the spacer layer,
• a surface of the spin torque layer opposite a media facing surface is aligned with a surface of the seed layer that is opposite the media facing surface,
• the surface of the spin torque layer opposite the media facing surface is aligned with a surface of the spacer layer that is opposite the media facing surface, and
• a cross-track width of the spin torque layer is equal to the second cross-track width of the second surface of the spacer layer.