Method to make an integrated side shield PMR head with non conformal side gap

A method of forming a PMR head on a substrate, comprising:

• (a) depositing a first dielectric layer having a top surface on a substrate and forming an opening with sidewalls and a bottom therein that corresponds to the shape of a main pole layer to be deposited in a subsequent step;
• (b) sequentially depositing a stack of layers on said first dielectric layer that fills said opening;
• said stack of layers comprises a lower second dielectric layer;
• a seed layer on the second dielectric layer;
• and a main pole layer with a bottom surface and two sidewalls contacting the seed layer wherein said main pole layer includes a narrow pole section terminating at an ABS and a second section having flared sides adjoining the narrow pole section at an end opposite the ABS;
• (c) planarizing said stack of layers along a top surface of the seed layer to provide a planar top surface of the main pole layer, and then removing a portion of said seed layer to expose a top surface of the first dielectric layer within a certain distance of the ABS;
• (d) removing exposed portions of the first dielectric layer except within a certain distance of the narrow pole section and second section;
• (e) depositing a write gap layer on the first dielectric layer and main pole layer, said write gap, first dielectric layer, and second dielectric layer together form a side gap on either side of the narrow pole section and a portion of the second section;
• (f) removing the write gap layer over a portion of the main pole layer where a top yoke is to be deposited in a subsequent step;
• (g) depositing a magnetic layer on the write gap and main pole layer comprising:
• (1) a side shield having a sidewall on either side of the narrow pole section and along a portion of the second section, and adjacent to said side gap wherein a first side gap distance between each side shield sidewall and main pole layer sidewall along the top surface of said narrow pole section and second section is less than a second side gap distance between each side shield sidewall and main pole layer sidewall along the bottom surface of said narrow pole section and second section;
• 2) a trailing shield formed above a top surface of said narrow pole section;
• and
• (3) a top yoke formed on a portion of the main pole layer;
• and
• (h) forming a dielectric layer between said trailing shield and top yoke.