Methods of fabricating magnetic write heads with side and trailing shield structures

A method of fabricating a magnetic head, comprising:

• providing a partially constructed magnetic head having a return pole layer, side studs formed over the return pole layer at an air bearing surface (ABS), and a magnetic shaping layer with a front edge that is recessed behind the ABS;
• forming a pole tip structure at least partially over the magnetic shaping layer with a front edge at the ABS;
• forming non-magnetic materials around and over the pole tip structure;
• etching side shield voids within the non-magnetic materials adjacent the pole tip structure while leaving non-magnetic materials around the pole tip structure;
• electroplating side shield materials within the side shield voids over the side studs;
• and
• forming, over the side shield materials and the non-magnetic materials above the pole tip structure, trailing shield materials which connect with the side shield materials.

A method of fabricating a magnetic head, comprising:

• forming a pole tip structure at least partially over a magnetic shaping layer;
• forming non-magnetic materials around and over the pole tip structure;
• forming one or more resist layers over the non-magnetic materials;
• patterning and developing side shield openings through the resist layer;
• with the patterned resist layer in place:
• performing a reactive ion etch (RIE) on the non-magnetic materials to produce side shield voids through the non-magnetic materials;
• and
• electroplating side shield materials within the side shield voids of the non-magnetic materials.

A method of forming a trailing shield for a magnetic head, comprising:

• forming, over non-magnetic materials above a pole, tip structure, magnetic trailing shield materials which connect with side shield materials adjacent the pole tip structure by:
• forming a resist layer over the non-magnetic and side shield materials;
• patterning a trailing shield opening through the resist layer over the non-magnetic materials above the pole tip structure;
• etching, with the patterned resist layer in place, the non-magnetic materials to produce a trailing shield void;
• and
• electroplating the trailing shield materials over the non-magnetic materials and within the trailing shield void.