Abstract: An apparatus includes: a media; a head over the media; and control circuitry, coupled to the heads, configured to: select an operational head from the heads based on margin data collected under a lube waterfall condition, and perform an access to the media with the operational head.

Abstract: An information handling system, such as a disc drive, including a base, a disc stack rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. The actuator assembly also includes a load spring and a slider attached to said load spring. The slider has an air-bearing surface. The air-bearing surface includes a first rail, a second rail and a depression positioned between the first rail and the second rail of the air-bearing surface. The depression further includes a first level surface and a second level surface. The first level surface of the slider is at a different distance from a surface of the first rail of the slider than the second level surface of the slider. The air-bearing surface may also include a divider located between the first level surface of the slider and the second level surface of the slider.

Abstract: The present invention is an air bearing slider comprising a transducer for communicating with a disc; a composite slider body with a front portion composed of a first material and a rear portion composed of a second material; an air bearing surface defined on a disc opposing face of the composite slider body, where the air bearing surface comprises the front portion and the rear portion; and a transducer basecoat portion attached to the rear portion of the slider body and containing the transducer. During flight, the mechanical close point of the slider body is at the transducer pole tip.

Abstract: A slider includes a slider body having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge and a center line extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, which define a disc-facing surface having a bearing plane. A protrusion is positioned on the disc-facing surface along the first side edge and has a protrusion surface. The protrusion surface is tilted with respect to the bearing plane about the center line and towards the first side edge.

Abstract: A slider is used for supporting a transducing head proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a primary air bearing having a disc opposing face bounded by a leading edge and a first trailing edge. An air bearing surface is defined on the disc opposing face. The slider further includes a secondary air bearing having a disc opposing face bounded by a front edge and a second trailing edge. The air bearing surface is defined on the disc opposing face. The air bearing surface has a pad proximate the second trailing edge wherein the transducing head is located on the pad. An interface connects the secondary air bearing to the primary air bearing and the interface displaces the transducing head vertically with respect to the primary air bearing to maintain head media spacing (HMS) between the transducing head and the disc substantially constant as the slider flies above the disc.

Abstract: A head slider having a slider body with a disc facing surface and a bearing plane is provided. A first recessed area and a second recessed area are positioned on the disc facing surface and recessed from the bearing plane. A rail on the disc facing surface has a channel that includes a first side edge proximate the first recessed area and a second side edge proximate the second recessed area. The channel is isolated from the first recessed area and open to the second recessed area.

Abstract: A slider is used for supporting a transducing head proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a slider body having a disc opposing face bounded by a leading edge, a trailing edge, and first and second side edges. The slider body has a longitudinal axis. An air bearing surface is defined on the disc opposing face and the air bearing surface has a pad proximate the trailing edge. A trench is positioned adjacent to the pad with the trench being recessed from the air bearing surface at a step depth. A channel for flushing lubricant from the disc opposing face is positioned on the pad. The channel is recessed from the air bearing surface at a channel depth.

Abstract: A slider includes a slider body having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge and a center line extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, which define a disc-facing surface having a bearing plane. A protrusion is positioned on the disc-facing surface along the first side edge and has a protrusion surface. The protrusion surface is tilted with respect to the bearing plane about the center line and towards the first side edge.

Abstract: A slider is provided for actively controlling a fly height of the slider relative to a data storage disc during operation of a data storage system. The slider includes a slider body having front and back surfaces, a length and a crown curvature on the front surface along the length. The slider also includes first and second elongated rails which are positioned on the front surface along the length of the slider body and form first and second bearing surfaces. Each bearing surface includes a leading portion, a trailing portion and a waist portion, wherein the waist portion is wider than the leading and trailing portions and has a maximum width within a middle half of the length of the slider body. A deformable material is positioned on the slider body having a dimension that is changeable in response to an electrical control signal applied in a deformable material, wherein a change in the dimension causes a change in the crown curvature.

Abstract: A disc head slider has a disc facing surface with a leading slider edge and a trailing slider edge. A primary bearing feature is formed on the disc facing surface forward of the trailing slider edge and has a bearing surface. A plurality of pads is formed on the disc facing surface between the primary bearing feature and the trailing slider edge. Each of the pads has an upper surface that is discrete from the upper surfaces of the other pads. An airflow barrier wall is positioned adjacent the plurality of pads to at least partially shield the plurality of pads from airflow from the primary bearing feature.

Abstract: A head slider having a slider body with a disc facing surface and a bearing plane is provided. A first recessed area and a second recessed area are positioned on the disc facing surface and recessed from the bearing plane. A rail on the disc facing surface has a channel that includes a first side edge proximate the first recessed area and a second side edge proximate the second recessed area. The channel is isolated from the first recessed area and open to the second recessed area.

Abstract: A magnetic data transducing head slider is provided with a transversely extended crossbar or other barrier near the leading edge. The barrier is deposited onto the air bearing surface of the slider using photolithographic techniques that enable precise determination of the barrier dimensions and the barrier set-back from the leading edge. The barrier set-back, width and thickness can be selected to control the transducer flying height and the pitch of the slider relative to the data recording surface of a magnetic disk when the slider is aerodynamically supported relative to the disk. The barrier also acts as a shield to minimize particulate contamination.

Abstract: A slider for supporting a transducing head proximate to a rotating disc. The slider has a slider body having a disc opposing face and a longitudinal axis. The disc opposing face is bounded by a leading edge, a trailing edge, and first and second side edges. An air bearing surface is defined on the disc opposing face with the air bearing surface having at least one pad located behind the leading edge. A cavity is positioned on the disc opposing face and the cavity is recessed from the air bearing surface at a cavity depth. At least a portion of the cavity precedes the pad. A funnel directs airflow within the cavity from the leading edge to the pad.

Abstract: A slider having contact protection for ultra-low fly heights. The contact protection includes contact pads having an ultra-low height dimension to reduce friction and damage for intermittent contact for ultra-low fly height applications.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a base, a disc stack rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly. The actuator assembly also includes a load spring and an attached slider. The slider has an air-bearing surface that a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a center pad positioned near the trailing edge. A transducer is positioned within the center pad. The center pad has a channel cavity therein which is substantially parallel to the trailing edge. The channel cavity is positioned near or at the transition between the material making up the slider and an alumina portion. The channel cavity splits the center pad into a first center pad portion, and a second center pad portion. The width of the channel cavity is controlled to control the amount of movement between a substrate portion of the slider and a portion covering the trailing edge of the slider which results from annealing the slider.

Abstract: A slider is used for supporting a transducing head proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a slider body having a disc opposing face bounded by a leading edge, a trailing edge and first and second side edges. The slider body has a longitudinal axis. An air bearing surface is defined on the disc opposing face. A furrow is positioned on the disc opposing face for flushing contaminants towards the trailing edge of the slider body.

Abstract: A disc head slider is provided, which includes a slider body having a disc-opposing face with leading and trailing slider edges and a slider length measured between the leading and trailing slider edges. The disc-opposing face has a bearing surface and a recessed area which is recessed from the bearing surface. A convergent channel is recessed within the bearing surface and has a leading channel end open to fluid flow from the recessed area, channel side walls, a trailing channel end closed to the fluid flow, and a channel length measured between the leading and trailing channel ends. The trailing channel end is located rearward of a midpoint along the slider length and the channel floor is vertically contoured relative to the bearing surface along at least a portion of the channel length.

Abstract: To allow for adjusting the fly height of a read/write head carried by a slider, a shear transducer is added to the slider. The shear transducer comprises a layer of piezoelectric material added to the slider so that the portion of the slider carrying the read/write head can be moved when the shear transducer is sheared. To cause the shear transducer to shear, a voltage is applied across the piezoelectric layer. To control the movement of the transducer, a closed-loop control system is used. The control system senses the spacing between the read/write head and the disc surface, compares the sensed spacing to a desired spacing, and adjusts the voltage applied to the shear transducer to reduce the difference between the actual and desired spacing.

Abstract: A disc head slider includes a slider body having a disc-opposing face with leading and trailing slider edges, a slider length measured between the leading and trailing slider edges, a bearing surface, a recessed area, an inlet and a convergent channel. The recessed area is recessed from the bearing surface. The inlet has a leading channel end, which is open to air flow from the leading slider edge, channel side walls and a trailing channel end. The convergent channel has a leading channel end, which is open to fluid flow from the inlet, channel side walls and a trailing channel end, which is closed to the fluid flow. The trailing channel end of the convergent channel is located along the slider length rearward of at least a portion of the recessed area and forward of at least a portion of the bearing surface.

Abstract: A disc head slider is provided and includes a disc-facing surface. The disc-facing surface comprises an inside set of surface components that includes an inside cavity dam and an inside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an inside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface further comprises an outside set of surface components that includes an outside cavity dam and an outside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an outside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface also comprises a center set of surface components that is generally disposed between the inside and outside sets of surface components. The center set of surface components includes a center cavity dam and a center sub-ambient pressure cavity having a center cavity floor. The inside, outside and center sets of surface components are separate and disassociated from one another.