iron flux concentrator inserted into gaps between the substrate and inside walls of the plating tank substantially surrounding the substrate and extending around and under the substrate application_number US 201113112477 A description we describe a tool and method for enhancing a magnetic field used in the plating of magnetic film this tool and method overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by increasing the magnetic field around a wafer this in turn enables the use of a larger wafer with no subsequent loss of magnetic strength as measured in oresteds oe also by improving the magnetic flux distribution we achieve better magnetic orientation and magnetic anisotropy thereby improving the operation of the magnetic heads the increase in wafer size yields an increase in the number of magnetic heads which can be produced while at the same time reducing manufacturing costs the embodiments of the proposed tool and method as will be described fully herein can be advantageously used in any process involving the plating of magnetic films where an applied magnetic field is desired during plating such as tape head manufacturing for clarity however we focus our discussion on wafers in the fabrication of magnetic thin film heads according to one embodiment of the present invention the magnetic field around a wafer is enhanced by replacing parts of the traditional stainless steel cathode on which the wafer is mounted with soft iron pieces surrounding the wafer these u201c floating magnetic pole pieces u201d act as very high permeability iron flux concentrators all around the wafer since wafers are round there is space surrounding the wafer to be plated but clear.