Perpendicular magnetic recording head having a non-magnetic film recessed from the air bearing surface for improved high-density magnetic recording

A perpendicular magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a main magnetic pole with a trailing side and two lateral sides;
• a side shield near the lateral sides of the main magnetic pole;
• a first non-magnetic film interposed between the side shield and the main magnetic pole;
• a trailing shield exposed on a floating surface side thereof near the trailing side of the main magnetic pole, the trailing shield being a first soft magnetic film with a relatively high saturation flux density;
• a second non-magnetic film interposed between the trailing shield and the main magnetic pole;
• a second soft magnetic film having a relatively low saturation flux density near a rear side of the trailing shield;
• a third non-magnetic film interposed between the trailing shield and the second soft magnetic film;
• a first magnetic film magnetically coupled to the trailing shield and the main magnetic pole on a side opposite a floating surface side thereof;
• and
• a coil surrounding a magnetic circuit, the magnetic circuit comprising the main magnetic pole and the first magnetic film,
• wherein a depthwise length of the first soft magnetic film, in a direction perpendicular to a floating surface side of trailing shield, is shorter than a depthwise length of the second soft magnetic film.

A perpendicular magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a main magnetic pole with a trailing side and two lateral sides;
• a side shield positioned near along lateral sides of the main magnetic pole;
• and
• a trailing shield positioned above the trailing side of the main magnetic pole and extending laterally from above the main magnetic pole to above each of the side shields,
• wherein a depthwise length of the side shield, in a direction perpendicular to a floating surface side of trailing shield, is about half a depthwise length of the trailing shield.

A perpendicular magnetic recording head, comprising:

• a main magnetic pole having a trailing side and two lateral sides;
• a magnetic shield near the trailing side and both lateral sides of the main magnetic pole;
• a non-magnetic film interposed between the magnetic shield and the main magnetic pole;
• a first magnetic film magnetically coupled to the magnetic shield and the main magnetic pole on a side opposite a floating surface side thereof;
• and
• a coil surrounding the a magnetic circuit, the magnetic circuit comprising the main magnetic pole and the first magnetic film,
• wherein the magnetic shield comprises:
• a first soft magnetic film having a relatively high saturation flux density exposed on a floating surface side thereof;
• a second soft magnetic film having a relatively low saturation flux density;
• and
• a first non-magnetic film formed on a rear wall of the first soft magnetic film and above the non-magnetic film, the first non-magnetic film being positioned between the rear wall of the first soft magnetic film and a side of the second soft magnetic film facing the rear wall of the first soft magnetic film.