Park NX-PTR
Industry’s leading automated AFM for precise in-line metrology of hard disk head sliders
Park NX-PTR is an AFM system designed specifically for pole tip recess (PTR) metrology of HDD heads in manufacturing environments. Two custom sample holders for row bars and slider trays enable quick exchange, while a dual-axis tilting stage and proprietary mapping algorithm ensure accurate site targeting regardless of sample position. Built on Park AFM’s core technologies including a decoupled XY and Z scanner, dual-servo XY control, high-bandwidth Z scanner, and True Non-contact™ mode, NX-PTR delivers sub-angstrom vertical accuracy, extended tip life, and proven GR&R performance trusted by leading HDD manufacturers worldwide.
Key Features
Automated Operation
The NX-PTR enables automated operation from measurement to analysis — automatically selecting the appropriate tip, scanning multiple target areas, analyzing data, and generating reports.
Customized Loading Solutions for Row Bars and Slider Trays
HDD heads are fabricated from wafers through row bar and slider stages. Their extremely small size makes handling quite challenging. However, with a customized sample holder, handling row bars or slider trays becomes simple and convenient. Multiple samples can be mounted on the holder simultaneously, enabling automated measurements.
Complete Sample Surface Leveling with Dual-Axis Tilting Stage
The NX-PTR’s Z-detector-based topography, combined with a dual-axis tilting stage that automatically levels the sample surface via precision XY pivot control, effectively minimizes slope effects. This eliminates Z-scanner hysteresis and measurement artifacts common in conventional AFM systems, ensuring accurate surface topography.
Automatic Measurement Control for Accurate Scans with Minimal Effort
Park NX-PTR is equipped with automated software that makes operation nearly effortless. Simply select the desired measurement program to get precise multi-site analysis with optimized settings for cantilever tuning, scan rate, gain, and setpoint parameters. Park’s user-friendly software interface gives you the flexibility to create customized operation routines, allowing you to access the full power of the NX-PTR and get the measurements you need. Creating a new routine is straightforward—it takes about 10 minutes from scratch, or less than 5 minutes to modify an existing one.
Park AFM Technology
Orthogonal Scan System
The separated flexure-guided 2D XY scanner and 1D Z scanner system minimizes out-of-plane motion by eliminating crosstalk between horizontal and vertical motion. The independent Z scanner enables precise, linear, and fast dynamic performance.
The XY scanner features a dual-servo architecture with two pairs of actuators and position sensors mounted on opposite sides of each axis, providing
precise orthogonality and accurate positioning across the entire scan area.
Park AFM Technology
True Non-Contact™ Mode
True Non-contact™ mode, a proprietary technology offered by Park Systems, obtains topography by detecting the attractive van der Waals force between the tip and sample surface. The key advantage of True Non-contact mode is the prevention of tip wear and sample damage, ensuring consistent results with superior data reliability. This also reduces the total cost of ownership by extending tip life.
Versatile Applications
High-Throughput Automated Multi-Point Measurements and Analysis
The NX-PTR supports multi-point measurements within a single image, applying point-specific measurement methods with adaptive image sizes. For example, after measuring a 20 μm × 40 μm PTR, the system can automatically zoom in to measure the writing pole. This streamlines the entire workflow through a unified recipe, minimizing setup time and operator intervention.
Automatic Wall Angle Measurement and Analysis
The NX-PTR automatically measures and analyzes wall angles across a variety of applications, delivering consistent results without manual intervention.
Automatic Defect Measurement and Analysis
The NX-PTR automatically proceeds from a survey scan to a zoom-in scan upon detecting edge spikes, enabling fast and efficient defect measurement.
