A method for independently forming neck height (NH) and pole width
dimensions in a main pole layer of a PMR write head is described. A main
pole layer with a pole tip region is formed on a bottom yoke. The pole
tip region is trimmed by an ion milling process to give a pole width. A
bilayer resist is patterned to form an opening with an undercut on the
main pole layer. The opening uncovers the pole tip region except for an
NH length adjacent to the pole tip. A top yoke comprised of CoFeN with a
thickness of about 0.2 microns is deposited in the opening and the
bilayer resist is removed by a lift-off process. Thereafter, a write gap
layer is formed on the pole tip region and then first, second, and third
write shield layers are formed above the write gap layer along the ABS.