Method and system for interrogating the thickness of a carbon layer

A method for interrogating a thickness of a carbon layer residing on a magnetic media having a Ta underlayer and at least one magnetic layer on the Ta underlayer, the carbon layer residing on the at least one magnetic layer, the method comprising:

• depositing a sample Ta underlayer on a sample substrate corresponding to a substrate including the magnetic media, the sample Ta underlayer corresponding to the Ta underlayer of the magnetic media and being deposited substantially simultaneously as the Ta underlayer;
• providing a sample carbon layer directly on the sample Ta underlayer, the sample carbon layer corresponding to the carbon layer and being deposited substantially simultaneously as the carbon layer, the step of providing the sample carbon layer being performed after the at least one magnetic layer is provided for the magnetic media, the sample carbon layer having a disordered band (D-band) and a graphite band (G-band);
• exposing the sample substrate including the sample carbon layer to light from a light source;
• detecting emitted light from the sample substrate to provide a Raman spectrum including a D-band contribution and a G-band contribution;
• and
• determining the thickness of the carbon layer based on a total area of the D-band contribution and the G-band contribution of the Raman spectrum.

A method for interrogating a thickness of a carbon layer residing on a magnetic media having a soft magnetic underlayer, and at least one magnetic layer on the soft magnetic underlayer, the carbon layer residing on the at least one magnetic layer, the method comprising:

• depositing a sample soft magnetic underlayer on a sample substrate corresponding to a substrate including the magnetic media, the sample soft magnetic underlayer corresponding to the soft magnetic underlayer of the magnetic media and being deposited substantially simultaneously as the soft magnetic underlayer;
• providing a sample carbon layer directly on the sample soft magnetic underlayer, the sample carbon layer corresponding to the carbon layer and being deposited substantially simultaneously as the carbon layer, the step of providing the sample carbon layer being performed after the at least one magnetic layer is provided for the magnetic transducer, the sample carbon layer having a disordered band (D-band) and a graphite band (G-band);
• exposing the sample substrate including the sample carbon layer to light from a light source;
• detecting emitted light from the sample substrate to provide a Raman spectrum including a D-band contribution and a G-band contribution;
• and
• determining the thickness of the carbon layer based on a total area of the D-band contribution and the G-band contribution of the Raman spectrum.