Patent ID: 8717707

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a magnetic recording write element including a main pole, the main pole having a leading edge and an opposing trailing edge and a first side surface and a second side surface separating the leading edge from the trailing edge; a first side magnetic shield positioned adjacent the first side surface and a second side magnetic shield positioned adjacent to the second side surface; a first side shield gap separates the first side shield from the first side surface of the main pole; a second side shield gap separates the second side shield from the second side surface of the main pole; a front magnetic shield is separated from the main pole trailing edge by a front shield gap; and a notch extending in a lateral direction into the front shield adjacent to the trailing edge, the notch extends away from the first or second side magnetic shield in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction and into the front shield a distance value that is greater than the front shield gap distance value, the notch separates a recess portion of the front shield and a portion of the first or second magnetic side shield, and the portion of the first or second magnetic side shield is coplanar with the trailing edge of the main pole.