Thin-film magnetic recording head manufacture using selective imaging

A focused particle beam process for shaping a pole-tip assembly of a recording transducer, comprising the steps of

• disposing a multi-layer device forming said recording transducer on a platform for exposure to said particle beam, said multi-layer device having
• a first layer including a first structural element,
• a second layer including a second structural element, and
• a shielding layer including a shielding element located between said first structural element and said second structural element,
• said structural elements and said shielding element intersecting a geometrical surface that extends transversely to said first, second, and shielding layers, so that imaging at least a portion of said shielding element, at said geometrical surface, provides information that facilitates imaging said second structural element without imaging said first structural element,
• scanning said focused particle beam over said geometrical surface at a selected section that includes at least said portion of said shielding element and that does not include said first structural element,
• generating a first image signal of said portion of said shielding element responsive to interaction of said focused particle beam with said portion of said shielding element,
• analyzing the first image signal of said portion of said shielding element to determine the location of said portion of said shielding element,
• directing, responsive to said determined location of said portion of said shielding element, said focused particle beam to interact with said second structural element without substantially interacting with said first structural element,
• generating a second image signal responsive to interaction of said focused particle beam with said second structural element, and
• generating, responsive to said second image signal, milling signals representative of an instruction for applying said focused particle beam to a selected portion of said second structural element for shaping said pole-tip assembly by milling said selected portion of said recording transducer.