# US 9,437,220 B2 · Varying data writer side shield gap distal the ABS > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,220 B2 - Document ID: US9437220B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/036,698 - Filed: 2013-09-25 - Published: 2015-03-26 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-25 - Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC - Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC - Inventors: Muhammad Asif Bashir; Mark Gubbins; Swaraj Basu; Marcus B. Mooney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437220B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/3116: {Shaping of layers, poles or gaps for improving the form of the electrical signal transduced, e.g. for shielding, contour effect, equalizing, side flux fringing, cross talk reduction between heads or between heads and information tracks (G11B5/3113, G11B5/245 take precedence)} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A data writing element may be configured at least with a write pole positioned adjacent a first shield along a first axis and adjacent a second shield along a second axis. The second shield may be separated from the write pole by a first gap distance on an air bearing surface (ABS) and by a second gap distance distal the ABS with the first and second gap distances meeting at a transition surface oriented parallel to the ABS. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising a write pole adjacent a side shield along a first axis, the side shield having first and second shield sub-layers having different magnetic flux densities and contacting at a first transition surface oriented parallel to an air bearing surface (ABS), the first transition surface separating the first shield sub-layer from the second shield sub-layer, the second sub-layer being separated from the ABS and comprising a lower magnetic flux density than the first shield sub-layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a trailing shield is separated from the write pole along a second axis and is positioned downtrack from the write pole. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the side shield is positioned laterally adjacent the write pole and uptrack from the trailing shield. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the write pole is disposed between matching side shields. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the write pole comprises a first sidewall extending from the ABS with a first shape, the side shield comprising a second sidewall extending from the ABS with a second shape, the first and second shapes being different. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the side shield comprises a second transition surface oriented parallel to the ABS, the first and second transition surfaces separated from the ABS by different distances. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second transition surfaces have different lengths as measured parallel to the ABS. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transition surface is continuously linear. ### Claim 9 A magnetic element comprising a write pole adjacent a side shield along a first axis, the side shield configured as a horizontal lamination with first, second, and third shield sub-layers having different magnetic flux densities meeting at a first transition surface oriented parallel to the air bearing surface (ABS), the first and second shield sub-layers each contacting the ABS, the third shield sub-layer separated from the ABS by the first shield sub-layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The magnetic element of claim 9, wherein the first and second sub-layers continuously extend from the ABS. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The magnetic element of claim 9, wherein the first sub-layer comprises the first transition surface and the second sub-layer comprises a second transition surface oriented parallel to the ABS. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The magnetic element of claim 11, wherein the first and second transition surfaces are positioned at different distances from the ABS. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The magnetic element of claim 11, wherein the first and second transition surfaces are positioned at a common distance from the ABS. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The magnetic element of claim 9, wherein the first sub-layer has a greater magnetic flux density than the second and third sub-layers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The magnetic element of claim 9, wherein the first sub-layer extends no farther than the first transition surface in a direction perpendicular to the ABS. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The magnetic element of claim 11, wherein the side shield comprises a third sub-layer that continuously extends from the second transition surface without contacting the ABS. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The magnetic element of claim 16, wherein the side shield comprises a fourth sub-layer that continuously extends from the first transition surface without contacting the ABS. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The magnetic element of claim 16, wherein the side shield comprises a fourth sub-layer that has a different magnetic moment than the first sub-layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The magnetic element of claim 9, wherein the first sub-layer comprises a write pole facing sidewall configured with a matching shape as a side shield facing sidewall of the write pole. ### Claim 20 A method comprising: positioning a write pole adjacent a side shield along a first axis, the side shield comprising first and second sub-layers having different magnetic flux densities; and configuring the first and second sub-layers to contact at a transition surface oriented parallel to the ABS, the transition surface separating the first shield sub-layer from the second shield sub-layer, the second sub-layer being separated from the ABS and comprising a lower magnetic flux density than the first shield sub-layer.