Method for characterizing a perpendicular recording head writing pole

A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which cause a dynamic electrical testing system to perform a method for characterizing a portion of a writing pole of a perpendicular magnetic write head in proximity to a magnetic medium, the portion of the writing pole having a generally trapezoidal shape with a leading edge and a trailing edge, the method comprising:

• providing measured track width data corresponding to magnetic track widths of a plurality of tracks written by the writing pole on a rotating magnetic medium underlying the writing pole, the magnetic track widths varying as a function of skew angle of the writing pole during writing;
• determining a magnetic width of the wider of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the writing pole from a first portion of the measured track width data, the first portion corresponding to a first range of skew angles;
• and
• determining at least one magnetic taper angle of the write head from the measured track width data.

A system for characterizing a portion of a writing pole of a perpendicular magnetic write head in proximity to a magnetic medium, the portion of the writing pole having a generally trapezoidal shape with a leading edge and a trailing edge, the system comprising:

• means for obtaining measured track width data corresponding to magnetic track widths of a plurality of tracks written by the writing pole on a rotating magnetic medium underlying the writing pole, the magnetic track widths varying as a function of skew angle of the writing pole during writing;
• means for determining a magnetic width of the wider of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the writing pole from a first portion of the measured track width data, the first portion corresponding to a first range of skew angles;
• and
• means for determining at least one magnetic taper angle of the write head from the measured track width data.