Perpendicular magnetic recording write head with trailing shield having throat height defined by electroplated nonmagnetic pad layer and method for making the head

A method of forming a perpendicular magnetic recording write head with a trailing shield (TS) on a substrate, the write head having a magnetic write pole (WP) with an end for facing the recording layer and nonmagnetic material generally surrounding the WP, the method comprising:

• depositing a nonmagnetic metal electroplating seed layer on the nonmagnetic material generally surrounding the WP;
• depositing a layer of etchable material on the electroplating seed layer;
• depositing a first layer of photoresist over the etchable material;
• patterning the first photoresist layer to leave a portion of the first photoresist layer near the WP end with a back edge recessed from the WP end;
• etching away the etchable material, leaving the patterned first layer of resist;
• electroplating a nonmagnetic metal layer onto the electroplating seed layer to form a nonmagnetic pad layer on the WP, the nonmagnetic pad layer having a front edge coincident with the back edge of the patterned first layer of photoresist;
• removing the patterned first layer of photoresist;
• removing the etchable material that was beneath the patterned first layer of photoresist, leaving the pad layer having its front edge recessed from the WP end;
• depositing a second layer of photoresist over the nonmagnetic pad layer;
• patterning the second photoresist layer to substantially define the shape of the TS;
• electroplating magnetically permeable material onto the pad layer to form the TS;
• and
• removing the patterned second photoresist layer.