Patent ID: 7382577

Claim:
A trimmed upper pole piece for a magnetic write head having a tapered profile and being wider at its trailing edge than at its leading edge, comprising: a laterally extensive shield layer having a narrow pedestal formed integral thereto and projecting vertically therefrom; a write gap layer formed on said narrow pedestal; a seed layer formed on said write gap layer; a plated pole portion formed on said seed layer to a thickness between approximately 3.5 and 4 microns, whereby said plated pole portion and said seed layer form a tapered upper pole piece , and; said shield layer, said write gap layer, said seed layer and said plated pole portion being formed of materials having substantially equal ion-beam etch rates, and; said write gap layer, said seed layer and said plated pole portion being tapered from a minimum width where said gap layer contacts said pedestal, to a maximum width at the trailing edge of said plated pole portion.