Patent ID: 8120874

Claim:
A magnetic write head for perpendicular data recording, comprising: a magnetic write pole having an end extending to an air bearing surface and having a trailing edge, a leading edge and first and second laterally opposed sides each extending from the trailing edge to the leading edge; a magnetic shield structure including a trailing shield portion separated from the trailing edge of the write pole by a non-magnetic trailing gap and a side shield portion, the side shield portion being separated from an adjacent side of the write pole by anon-magnetic side gap, wherein the side shield portion has an inner edge located toward the write pole, the inner edge having a tapered portion adjacent to the trailing edge of the write pole and a straight portion adjacent to the leading edge of the write pole; wherein the non-magnetic side gap has a width adjacent to the leading edge of the write pole that is smaller than a width adjacent to the trailing edge of the write pole.