Abstract: A subambient pressure air bearing slider for disk drives and the like is presented where the subambient pressure area is divided into two or more areas. For example, a first area extending between the rails can have a depth (e.g., between 20 and 100 microinches) relative to the height of the rails, while the second area has a deeper depth (e.g., between 20 and 200 microinches). In one embodiment, the second area is placed in the outside rear quadrant relative to the rear edge of the slider and the rail closer to the outside diameter of the moving disk. By partitioning the subambient pressure area and properly selecting the depths of the partitioned areas, the slider can achieve a more uniform flying height over the range of diameters of the moving disk, at different rotational speed velocities for the disk and at different operation altitudes.

Abstract: A subambient pressure air bearing slider for disk drives and the like is presented where the subambient pressure area is divided into two or more areas. For example, a first area extending between the rails can have a depth (e.g., between 20 and 100 microinches) relative to the height of the rails, while the second area has a deeper depth (e.g., between 20 and 200 microinches). In one embodiment, the second area is placed in the outside rear quadrant relative to the rear edge of the slider and the rail closer to the outside diameter of the moving disk. By partitioning the subambient pressure area and properly selecting the depths of the partitioned areas, the slider can achieve a more uniform flying height over the range of diameters of the moving disk, at different rotational speed velocities for the disk and at different operation altitudes.

Abstract: A magnetic head is described for use in a disk drive having a disk that is rotated during operation of the disk drive and stationary when the disk drive is non-operational. The disk includes a surface containing data tracks. The magnetic head compromises a slider including a forward edge, a trailing edge and an air bearing surface. A read/write transducer is mounted at the trailing edge of the slider. The slider and transducer are mounted within the disk drive, relative to the surface of the rotating disk, to fly above the surface of the disk during rotation of the disk, for reading and writing data from and to the data tracks, and to come to rest on the surface of the disk during non-operation of the disk drive.