Microactuator having a ferromagnetic substrate

The present invention relates generally to microactuators and more specifically to an electromagnetic microactuator having a ferromagnetic substrate and a method for making same. An electromagnetic microactuator having a ferromagnetic substrate, preferably steel. A plurality of layers are deposited upon the substrate including an insulating layer, a seed layer and first and second photoresist layers. The first photoresist layer provides a coil well which defines the deposition location of a coil metal. The second photoresist layer provides central and peripheral core wells which define the deposition locations of a central core and a peripheral core, respectively. The second photoresist layer intersticially fills and protectively covers the coil.