Patent ID: 8274758

Claim:
An upper write shield section of a PMR write head having a yoke/main pole layer stack in a top yoke or bottom yoke configuration with a pole tip at an air bearing surface (ABS), a first shield formed on the yoke/main pole layer stack along the ABS and at a back end region, and a second shield formed on the first shield along the ABS and at the back end region, comprising: (a) a first layer made of a material optimized for either magnetic or mechanical performance that is formed on the second shield at the ABS and in said back end region, the first layer extends from the ABS to the back end region and is magnetically connected to the main pole through the first and second shields at the back end region; and (b) a second layer disposed on the first layer and optimized for a different performance than said first layer, said second layer is optimized for mechanical performance when the first layer is optimized for magnetic performance and said second layer is optimized for magnetic performance when said first layer is optimized for mechanical performance, the second layer extends from the ABS to the back end region and is magnetically connected to the main pole at the back end region.