Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the flying height of a magnetic head above a magnetic storage medium, such as a disk, is disclosed. A charging surface of the slider, separate from the read/write head, allows a charging electrical interconnect to apply an electrical charge to the slider. By acting as a quasi-parallel capacitor, the amount of spacing in the head-disk interface may be increased or decreased based on the amount of voltage applied. The slider may be electrically isolated from the suspension. Simultaneously, a heating element deforms the slider to further adjust the spacing between the read/write head and the disk surface. A feedback control system may monitor and control the head-disk spacing by measuring a temperature or other environmental conditions surrounding the slider and disk.

Abstract: An externally wireless laminated suspension for a hard disk drive are disclosed. In one embodiment, the externally wireless laminated suspension has an insulating layer to electrically isolate a first and second electrical trace from a conductive support layer. The second electrical trace crosses over the first electrical trace. The first electrical trace may be made of a first part on one side of the second electrical trace and a second part on the opposite side of the electrical trace. A conductive island area may be patterned into the support layer. The conductive island area may electrically couple the first part of the first electrical trace to the second part. The number of crossover points that the first electrical trace has may equal the number of crossover points that the second electrical trace has.

Abstract: An apparatus allowing for a slider for use in a disk drive is disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may include a leading side, a trailing side, at least two main rails, a slider surface with an air bearing surface, and at least one trench substantially parallel to the width of the slider. The trench in the air bearing surface results in a lower compression length of the slider and allows for particles to be channeled off of the disk surface.

Abstract: An improved slider design is disclosed. While the width of the slider may be less than 1.0 mm, the length of the slider is greater than 0.85 mm. The slider may have a thickness of 0.23 mm. The air-bearing surface of the slider may have a two-tiered U-shaped rail on the leading edge. A two-tiered main compression pad, straddled by two outlying compression pads, may extend from the trailing edge of the air-bearing surface.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring the modulation between a magnetic head and a magnetic storage medium, such as a disk, is disclosed. A magnetic read/write head is positioned above a magnetic storage medium at a given flying height. The magnetic read/write head reads a signal from the magnetic storage medium. A tester measures an alternating electric current between the magnetic read/write head through the slider and the magnetic storage medium. A computer may then calculate the modulation by the magnetic read/write head based on the alternating electric current. A DC voltage to the head may be applied to lower the flying height of the magnetic head.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, head/disk contact events are determined through a measurement of current at the head disk interface. For example, an ammeter/voltage source component may be electrically coupled to a magnetic/slider of a disk drive as well as to a spindle coupled to the recording medium. Applied voltage to the slider may result in a lower flying height. Greater measured current by the ammeter could indicate head/disk contact and assist in adjusting applied voltage to obtain a desire flying height.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an improved method and system are provided. In one embodiment, gold balls are provided and a holder using a vacuum suction force is used to pick up each gold ball. The ball is then placed next to the desired bonding pad(s) and vibrated to achieve partial melting of the ball and bonding pad(s).

Abstract: A system and method for testing the stroke and frequency response of a micro-actuator is disclosed. A dynamic parameter tester writes two concentric tracks on a noise free portion of a magnetic storage medium. A magnetic read/write head and a micro-actuator is positioned between the two concentric tracks. An initial oscillating voltage is applied at a first frequency to the micro-actuator while reading back a signal from the two concentric tracks. A stroke characteristic of the micro-actuator is calculated based in part on the read-back signal. The initial oscillating voltage is determined from previous tests. The first stroke characteristic of the micro-actuator is based on a time-averaged amplitude of the first signal. The two concentric tracks are written at a pre-determined pitch.

Abstract: A subambient pressure air bearing slider for disk drives and the like is presented where features of the slider are modular, in that certain parameters of the slider can be modified independently of one another. In one example, lateral dimensions and placement of side and trailing air bearing surfaces can be used to control flying height sensitivity due to crowning in the slider. Longitudinal dimensions of the side air bearing surfaces can be used to control flying height sensitivity due to camber in the slider body. Low-profile members (e.g., ones that do not form air bearing surfaces) may be used to control the dimensions of the subambient pressure region to control overall flying height.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the flying height of a magnetic head above a magnetic storage medium, such as a disk, is disclosed. A charging electrical pad may be coupled to the slider separate from the magnetic head to allow a charging electrical conductor to apply an electrical charge to the slider. By acting as a quasi-parallel capacitor, the amount of spacing in the head-disk interface may be increased or decreased based on the amount of voltage applied. The slider may be electrically isolated from the suspension. A feedback control system may monitor and control the head-disk spacing by measuring temperature or other environmental conditions surrounding the slider and disk.

Abstract: A system and method for providing corrosion protection for a magnetic read/write head is disclosed. A monolayer surface coating is applied to cover those portions of the under layer of a magnetic read/write head not already covered by a previously applied diamond-like coating. This allows for a thinner diamond like coating than previously applied in the art. The monolayer surface coating can be a self-assembled monolayer, such as an organosilicon for hydroxylated surfaces or carboxylic acids for aluminum or other metal oxides. Alternatively, the monolayer surface coating can be directly applied to the under layer with no diamond-like coating being present. The monolayer surface coating can be applied by a surface immersion process or by a vacuum coating process.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring and neutralizing the electrical charge at the interface of a magnetic head and a magnetic storage medium, such as a disk, is disclosed. A surface treatment material is applied to the magnetic head. The surface treatment material matches the medium surface material on the surface of the magnetic storage medium. The surface treatment material on the magnetic read/write head may be a fluorinated carbon, such as a Fomblin Z-derivative, perfluoro alkyl trichlorosilane, a FC-722, or a fluorinated polymer. The surface treatment material can be applied to the magnetic head by a vapor deposition process or by a liquid immersion process. The charge on the head-disk interface can be measured by applying varying external charges to the head while reading a signal previously written to the disk.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are presented for electrically coupling a slider to ground. In one embodiment, a bonding pad is provided on a side of the slider body separate from the bonding pad(s) used for read/write signals. This separate bonding pad is electrically coupled within the slider body to components that are to be coupled to ground. A separate conductor provided on the suspension (e.g., a trace, a flex circuit, etc.) may be electrically coupled to the separate bonding pad via gold ball bonding. The conductor is also coupled to ground in the hard-disk drive device (e.g., via the preamplifier). The use of the separated bonding pad and trace may negate the need to use a conductive adhesive to electrically ground the slider via its attachment to the tongue of a slider.