Method for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR)head

A method for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head comprising:

• forming a PMR pole having a bottom and a top wider than the bottom;
• depositing a side gap over the PMR pole;
• providing a side shield on the side gap;
• performing a planarization step, the planarization step removing a portion of the side shield on the PMR pole;
• providing a top gap on the PMR pole, the top gap covering substantially at least the PMR pole;
• and
• providing a top shield;
• wherein the step of providing the pole further includes;
• providing a metal underlayer;
• providing a resist layer;
• forming a trench in the resist layer, the trench having a trench bottom and a trench top wider than the trench bottom;
• and
• plating the at least one magnetic pole layer, a portion of the at least one magnetic pole layer residing in the trench.

A method for providing a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head comprising:

• forming a PMR pole having a bottom and a top wider than the bottom, the PMR pole forming including forming the PMR pole utilizing a pseudo-damascene process;
• depositing a side gap over the PMR pole, the side gap having a width;
• providing a side shield on the side gap;
• performing a planarization step, the planarization step removing a portion of the side shield on the PMR pole;
• providing a top gap on the PMR pole, the top gap covering the PMR pole, the top gap having a thickness, a ratio of the width of the side gap to the thickness of the top gap being at least two;
• and
• providing a top shield.