Method of forming a fully wrapped-around shielded PMR writer pole

A method of forming a wrapped-around shielded perpendicular magnetic recording writer pole, the method comprising:

• providing a structure comprising a leading shield layer and an intermediate layer disposed over the leading shield layer, the intermediate layer comprising a pole material and a dielectric material;
• forming a trench in the dielectric material;
• removing a non-magnetic layer in the trench via an ion beam etching process, the non-magnetic layer having been formed on surfaces surrounding the trench from one or more processes used to form the trench, wherein the non-magnetic layer comprises an oxidized portion of a top surface of the leading shield layer;
• depositing a seed layer in the trench and over the pole material;
• and
• depositing a magnetic material comprising a side shield layer on at least a portion of the seed layer.