Characteristics of magnetic force microscopy magnetics on high moment perpendicular magnetic recording writers with high coercivity probes

High resolution magnetic force microscopy (MFM) imaging with high coercivity probes on perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writers directly characterizes magnetic field contour for the writer main pole as well as its shields' magnetic state. Evolution of write bubble and return field was analyzed by MFM imaging in dynamic phase detection scheme. Different write field components and their out of plane second order derivatives were calculated via finite element modeling. The MFM imaged write field distribution correlates well with the PMR writer out of plane write field component. Magnetic responses of the PMR writer main pole, trailing and side shields are quantified. The trailing and side shields exhibit complicated magnetic saturation behaviors comparing with the PMR writer pole. The side shield's magnetic response is dependent upon its initial equilibrium state. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3679557]