On the magnetic field of a single-pole head with curvilinear forward region, graded magnetic potential and an underlayer

Abstract Considering the works of (a) Satoh, Ohtsubo and Shimada and (b) Wilton, Mapps and Shute, the magnetic fields due to variable potential distributions over the surfaces of curvilinear single-pole heads with an underlayer are examined using a generalised Schwarz–Christoffel conformal mapping method. Three particular head shapes are considered, including the conventional rectangular head model for comparison. It is found for some systems, as in the rectangular cases of Wilton, Mapps and Shute, whose works we use as a model, that there is improvement in the peak field strength with respect to the corresponding constant potential head. A method to determine the curve in the complex-potential plane and its corresponding mapping formula for a general system using the same generalised Schwarz–Christoffel method is proposed.