Method and system for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording pole using multiple chemical mechanical planarizations

A method for fabricating a main pole for magnetic recording transducer having an intermediate layer, the method comprising:

• providing a trench in the intermediate layer, the trench having a bottom and a top wider than the bottom;
• depositing an aluminum oxide liner using atomic layer deposition, a portion of the aluminum oxide liner residing in the trench;
• depositing a diamond-like carbon (DLC) stop layer external to the trench after the aluminum oxide liner is provided;
• depositing at least one seed layer after the DLC stop layer is provided, a first portion of the at least one seed layer residing in the trench;
• depositing at least one main pole layer, the at least one pole layer being magnetic, a first portion of the at least one main pole layer residing in the trench;
• removing a second portion of the at least one main pole layer and a second portion of the at least one seed layer external to the trench;
• depositing an aluminum oxide layer;
• performing a first chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) using a first down force, a first slurry, and a first time, the first CMP removing a portion of the aluminum oxide layer, removing a third portion of the at least one main pole layer, removing a third portion of the at least one seed layer, an excess portion of the at least one seed layer external to the trench, and exposing a portion of the DLC stop layer;
• removing the portion of the DLC stop layer using at least one reactive ion etch;
• removing the excess portion of the at least one seed layer external to the trench through an ion beam etch;
• performing a second CMP to remove an excess portion of the aluminum oxide liner external to the trench, the second CMP using a second down force, a second slurry and a second time, the second down force being less than the first down force, the second slurry being a dilution of the first slurry, and the second time being less than the first time, the dilution being at least a 1:10 dilution, the second down force being not more than two psi;
• and
• performing an ion mill after the second CMP, the ion mill removing a fourth portion of the at least one main pole layer to provide a target pole height.