Systems and methods for providing perpendicular magnetic writers having gradient magnetic moment side shields

A method for forming a perpendicular magnetic recording head, the method comprising:

• forming a leading shield having a leading shield magnetic moment;
• forming a pole on the leading shield, wherein the pole comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge is positioned closer to the leading shield than the trailing edge;
• removing a material from a side area positioned along a side of the pole;
• depositing a side shield in the side area, the side shield comprising a gradient magnetic moment progressing from a first side shield magnetic moment to a second side shield magnetic moment;
• and
• forming a trailing shield on the trailing edge of the pole, the trailing shield having a trailing shield magnetic moment greater than the leading shield magnetic moment,
• wherein the first side shield magnetic moment is about equal to the leading shield magnetic moment, and
• wherein the second side shield magnetic moment is about equal to the trailing shield magnetic moment and positioned closer to the trailing shield than the leading shield.