PP3 shape designs for shield domain control to improve either skip track erasure (STE) or write performance for perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR)

摘要

A shield structure for a PMR writer is disclosed and features a first trailing shield on a write gap, and a second (PP3) trailing shield on the first trailing shield and magnetically connected to the main pole layer. From a top-down view along the down-track direction, the PP3 trailing shield has various shapes to provide shape anisotropy such that following hard magnet or reverse magnet initialization, PP3 trailing shield magnetic orientation has a stable three domain configuration thereby minimizing skip track erasure (STE) or improving area density capability (ADC). At least one sloped side is introduced that forms an angle 90 degrees with the PP3 trailing shield backside. In other embodiments, a thinner leading shield may be used to improve STE. The PP3 trailing shield may have a dome shape or a planar shape from a down-track cross-sectional view.