METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING IMPROVED VERTICAL METROLOGY MEASUREMENTS

摘要

A probe-based surface characterization or metrology instrument accounts for errors in the vertical positioning of its probe and errors in detecting the vertical position of its probe. These errors are accounted for by subtracting reference scan data from measurement scan data. The measurement scan data is obtained from an area that includes the feature of interest as well as a portion of a reference area that includes the feature of interest, as well as a portion of the reference area which is featureless. The reference scan data is obtained from an area that includes the reference area and that, preferably, excludes the features of interest. This procedure is particularly well-suited for measuring pole tip recession in a magnetic head.