Write gap structure for a magnetic recording head

A write assembly comprising

• a write pole having a beveled pole tip surface;
• a front shield spaced from the beveled pole tip surface;
• and
• a non-magnetic write gap between the beveled pole tip surface and a lower front surface of the front shield having a conformal write gap width less than 25 nm, between the beveled pole tip surface and an upper front surface of the front shield having a non-conformal write gap width greater than 25 nm, and between a substantially vertical pole tip surface and a vertical front surface of the front shield having a conformal write gap width of greater than 25 nm, the non-magnetic write gap measured in a direction normal to the beveled pole tip surface,
• wherein the front shield includes a surface step connecting the upper and lower front surfaces, and
• wherein the surface step is downwardly sloped towards a bearing surface at an angle other than 90 degrees to both the bearing surface and to a plane perpendicular to the bearing surface.

A write assembly comprising:

• a write pole having a pole tip including a beveled pole tip surface having a bottom edge formed at a bearing surface and a top edge spaced from the bottom edge;
• a front shield spaced from the pole tip including an upper front surface and a lower front surface connected through a front edge located below the top edge of the beveled pole tip surface, and a vertical front surface extending upward from a top of the upper front surface and substantially parallel to the write pole above the top edge of the beveled pole tip surface;
• and
• a non-magnetic write gap including a proximal write gap segment located proximate to the bearing surface having a proximal gap width extending between the beveled pole tip surface and the lower front surface of the shield and a distal write gap segment having a distal gap width larger than the proximal gap width extending between the beveled pole tip surface and the upper front surface of the shield, the proximal and distal write gaps measured in a direction normal to the beveled pole tip surface,
• wherein the proximal write gap segment comprises a bi-layered structure with each layer of the bi-layered structure comprising a segment with opposing surfaces that are sloped at an angle other than 90 degrees to both the bearing surface and to a plane perpendicular to the bearing surface, and
• wherein the distal write gap segment comprises a tri-layered structure.

A write assembly comprising:

• a write pole having a pole tip including a beveled pole tip surface having a bottom edge formed at a bearing surface and a top edge spaced from the bottom edge;
• a front shield spaced from the pole tip including an upper front surface and a lower front surface connected through a front edge located below the top edge of the beveled pole tip surface, and a vertical front surface extending upward from a top of the upper front surface and substantially parallel to the write pole above the top edge of the beveled pole tip surface;
• and
• a non-magnetic write gap including a proximal write gap segment located proximate to the bearing surface having a proximal gap width extending between the beveled pole tip surface and the lower front surface of the shield and a distal write gap segment having a distal gap width larger than the proximal gap width extending between the beveled pole tip surface and the upper front surface of the shield, the proximal and distal write gaps measured in a direction normal to the beveled pole tip surface,
• wherein the upper front surface and the lower front surface are connected through a surface step, and
• wherein the surface step is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the bearing surface.