Process for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording writer pole with nonmagnetic bevel

A method for fabricating a magnetic recording transducer, the method comprising:

• providing a magnetic writer pole and nonmagnetic stack comprising:
• a pole tip section adjacent an air bearing surface (ABS) plane with a first pole height;
• a main pole section located a first throat height from the ABS plane and having a second pole height greater than the first pole height;
• a trailing bevel section extending from the ABS plane to the main pole section, the trailing bevel section having a first beveled surface at a first angle to the ABS plane, and
• the nonmagnetic stack over the main pole section, wherein the nonmagnetic stack does not extend over at least a portion of the trailing bevel section near the ABS plane;
• depositing a write gap layer comprising alumina over the nonmagnetic stack and the magnetic writer pole;
• depositing an etch stop layer resistant to reactive ion etch (RIE) over the write gap layer;
• depositing a layer of nonmagnetic fill material over the etch stop layer;
• removing portions of the nonmagnetic fill material to form a nonmagnetic bevel over the trailing bevel section, the nonmagnetic bevel extending from a second throat height distal from the ABS plane to the first throat height, the nonmagnetic bevel having a second beveled surface at a second angle to the ABS plane, the second angle being less than the first angle;
• exposing a portion of the write gap layer by removing a portion of the etch stop layer between the ABS plane and the second throat height by reactive ion etching (RIE), and
• depositing a trailing shield over a resultant structure.

A method for fabricating a magnetic recording transducer, the method comprising:

• providing a magnetic writer pole and nonmagnetic stack comprising:
• a pole tip section adjacent an air bearing surface (ABS) plane with a first pole height;
• a main pole section located a first throat height from the ABS plane and having a second pole height greater than the first pole height;
• a trailing bevel section extending from the ABS plane to the main pole section, the trailing bevel section having a first beveled surface at a first angle to the ABS plane, and
• the nonmagnetic stack over the main pole section, wherein the nonmagnetic stack does not extend over at least a portion of the trailing bevel section near the ABS plane;
• depositing a write gap layer comprising alumina over the nonmagnetic stack and the magnetic writer pole;
• depositing a etch stop layer over the write gap layer;
• depositing a tracer layer on the etch stop layer;
• depositing a layer of nonmagnetic fill material over the tracer layer;
• removing portions of the nonmagnetic fill material to form a nonmagnetic bevel over the trailing bevel section, the nonmagnetic bevel extending from a second throat height distal from the ABS plane to the first throat height, the nonmagnetic bevel having a second beveled surface at a second angle to the ABS plane, the second angle being less than the first angle;
• exposing a portion of the write gap layer by removing a portion of the etch stop layer and the tracer layer between the ABS plane and the second throat height by reactive ion etching (RIE), and
• depositing a trailing shield over a resultant structure.