Abstract: A disk drive system includes a base, a disk stack rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. A ramp assembly includes a set of ramps for loading and unloading the sliders and transducing elements carried by the sliders to and from the disks in the disk stack. The ramp assembly is attached to the base. An actuator assembly is movably attached to the base of the disk drive. The actuator assembly includes one or more arms. A load spring is attached to the arm of the actuator. In some instances two load springs are attached to the arm of the actuator. A slider is attached to the load spring. Sliders have a backside surface and an air bearing surface. The air bearing surface includes an arrangement of rails and cavities which form high pressure areas and low pressure areas. An opening or passage connects the air bearing surface the backside surface of the slider. A ring of compliant material is attached to the backside surface of the slider.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a magnetoresistive (MR) proximity head slider having substantial immunity to thermal asperities includes providing the head slider having an inductive write transducer and an MR read transducer each extending to a first region of an air bearing surface (ABS) of the head slider. The method further includes removing a portion of the first region of the ABS corresponding to the MR read transducer to form a cavity in the ABS. The cavity in the ABS provides a second region of the ABS such that after removal of the portion of the first region the MR read transducer extends only to the second region of the ABS.

Abstract: An information handling system, such as a disk drive, includes a base, a disk 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. A ramp is also attached to the base near the disk stack. The ramp is used to load and unload the sliders to and from the disk. The slider and load spring are attached to form a gimballing connection between the slider and the load spring. The disk drive also includes a spindle motor and spindle motor controller for rotating the disk at a first rotational velocity and for rotating the disk at a second rotational velocity. The slider includes an air bearing surface. Landing pads, made of a durable material such as diamond like carbon, are formed on the air bearing surface of the slider. A method for loading a slider from a ramp to a disk surface includes rotating the disk at a first rotational velocity, as the slider is loaded.

Abstract: A proximity magnetoresistive head slider and method of making the same are disclosed. The head slider includes a slider body having an air bearing surface (ABS). An inductive write transducer is formed at a first portion of the ABS. A cavity is formed in the slider body such that a first surface of the cavity forms a second portion of the ABS which is out of plane with the first portion of the ABS. A magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer is positioned in the cavity at the first surface such that the MR read transducer is recessed relative to the inductive write transducer, thereby preventing contact between the MR read transducer and a surface of a disc.