Patent ID: 8432638

Claim:
A magnetic recording head for perpendicular magnetic recording of information into a recording medium, comprising: means for energizing the magnetic recording head to produce a magnetic field; a recording pole narrowing to a tip region having a leading write edge and a trailing write edge separated by first and second opposed side edges, the tip region providing a low reluctance path for magnetic flux generated by the energizing means; and a return pole spatially separated from and opposite the recording pole, the return pole having a base, a shield flare projecting forward from the base towards the trailing write edge of the tip region of the recording pole, and a rear flare projecting rearward from the base in an opposite direction of the projection of the shield flare, a leading edge of the shield flare being separated from the trailing write edge of the tip region by a gap, wherein the shield flare diverts magnetic flux generated by the energizing means from reaching the tip region of the recording pole, thereby shielding a recording medium beneath the shield flare from the magnetic field while the opposed side edges of the tip region of the recording pole and the recording medium beneath the gap are unshielded.