Evaluation of an electromagnetic microactuator using scanning Hall probe microscopy measurements

Abstract

Strain imaging of a magnetic layer formed on an air bearing surface of a hard disk drive head for perpendicular recording J.Thermal pole tip protrusion finite element analysis of thin film inductive recording heads Scanning Hall probe microscopy ͑SHPM͒ was used to evaluate integrated magnetic microactuators designed for hard disk drives. The Hall probe measurements of the generated magnetic field strength as a function of the applied current or distance were compared to results of a finite element method simulation. The SHPM measurements and simulation results are in good agreement, confirming that simulations supported by SHPM measurements can be used successfully to predict the performance of microactuators.