Patent ID: 6354438
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: G11B,H01J,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
Apparatus for locating a first structural element in a pole-tip assembly relative to a second structural element in said pole-tip assembly, said apparatus comprising:scanning means for selectively scanning said pole-tip assembly with a focused particle beam, thereby generating an image signal indicative of an interaction between said focused particle beam and said pole-tip assembly, said scanning means being controlled by scanning control means configured to control the scanning means such that the scanning means does not scan said first structural element, means for detecting, on the basis of said image signal, a response of a first marker element to said focused particle beam, said first marker element being disposed on said pole-tip assembly at a known location relative to said first structural element, a location processor for generating, on the basis of said response of said first marker element, a coordinate signal representative of a position of said first marker element and obtaining therefrom the location of said first structural element and the location of said second structural element, and processor means responsive to said coordinate signal for generating a milling signal representative of an instruction for applying said focused particle beam to a selected portion of said second structural element for milling said selection portion of said second structural element.