Patent ID: 7639450

Claim:
A magnetic write head having an air bearing surface (ABS), comprising: a write pole having an ABS end extending to the ABS, a leading edge, a trailing edge opposite the leading edge and first and second laterally opposed sides; a return pole having an ABS end extending to the ABS, the return pole being connected with the write pole at a location removed from the ABS; a magnetic shield, the magnetic shield being a separate structure from the return pole, the entire magnetic shield having a height measured from the ABS that is much smaller than a height of the return pole as measured from the ABS, at least a portion of the magnetic shield being disposed between the return pole and the write pole, the magnetic shield being magnetically connected with the return pole at the ABS end of the return pole, the magnetic shield extending toward the leading edge of the write pole and terminating at a trailing edge; a notch formed in the trailing edge of the magnetic shield at a location near the write pole; and the trailing edge of the magnetic shield forming first and second un-notched portions extending laterally from the notch; wherein the notch is configured to maintain a distance of 0.4-3.0 um between the shield and the leading edge of the write pole.