Abstract: A wafer comprises a kerf region and a test chip. The kerf is a region in a wafer designated to be destroyed by chip dicing. The test chip is located within the kerf region and is configured to provide parametric data for a wafer fabrication process of a head. The test chip comprises a shield portion of a first shield layer electrically coupled to an element, a first pad within a second shield layer electrically coupled to the element, and a second pad within the second shield layer electrically coupled to the shield portion.

Abstract: A method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus for measuring properties of a magnetic read head are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a first and a second magnetic read head. A first dimension of the first magnetic read head is different from a corresponding first dimension of the second magnetic read head. The method further includes determining a first change in conductance of the first magnetic read head resulting from an applied magnetic field and a second change in conductance of the second magnetic read head resulting from the applied magnetic field. The first change in conductance and the second change in conductance are used to determine a change in the first dimension and the corresponding first dimension of the first and second magnetic read heads, respectively. The change in the first dimension and the corresponding first dimension results from a manufacturing process of the first and second magnetic read heads.

Abstract: A wafer comprises a kerf region and a test chip. The kerf is a region in a wafer designated to be destroyed by chip dicing. The test chip is located within the kerf region and is configured to provide parametric data for a wafer fabrication process of a head. The test chip comprises a shield portion of a first shield layer electrically coupled to an element, a first pad within a second shield layer electrically coupled to the element, and a second pad within the second shield layer electrically coupled to the shield portion.

Abstract: A method, computer-readable medium, and apparatus for measuring properties of a magnetic read head are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a first and a second magnetic read head. A first dimension of the first magnetic read head is different from a corresponding first dimension of the second magnetic read head. The method further includes determining a first change in conductance of the first magnetic read head resulting from an applied magnetic field and a second change in conductance of the second magnetic read head resulting from the applied magnetic field. The first change in conductance and the second change in conductance are used to determine a change in the first dimension and the corresponding first dimension of the first and second magnetic read heads, respectively. The change in the first dimension and the corresponding first dimension results from a manufacturing process of the first and second magnetic read heads.