HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGING OF THIN-FILM RECORDING-HEADS BY SUPERPARAMAGNETIC MAGNETIC FORCE MICROSCOPY TIPS

We have used superparamagnetic magnetic force microscopy (MFM) tips to obtain high spatial resolution MFM images of recording heads. Profile s of the magnetic field gradient above a thin-film recording head unde r 3 mA bias current to the head and various tip-head distance conditio ns are presented. At a low tip-head distance, the gap width, gap locat ion, and gap-field structure can be well resolved in these MFM images. Superparamagnetic tips show promise for the magnetic imaging of recor ding heads with gap widths below 200 nm. (C) 1997 American Institute o f Physics.