Patent ID: 8724258

Claim:
A magnetic write head for a hard disk drive, comprising: an air bearing surface (ABS); a magnetic write pole having an end that defines part of the ABS; a first non-magnetic layer disposed on the magnetic write pole and having an end at the ABS; a seed layer disposed on the first non-magnetic layer, wherein the first non-magnetic layer and the seed layer have a combined first thickness; a second non-magnetic layer disposed on the seed layer, wherein the second non-magnetic layer is recessed from the ABS and has a taper defined by an increasing thickness of the second non-magnetic layer from a second thickness at a first distance from the ABS, to a third thickness at a second distance from the ABS, where the third thickness is greater than the first thickness and the second distance is greater than the first distance; and a magnetic shield disposed on the seed layer and the second non-magnetic layer.