Abstract: A flying head slider has a slider body in which gas bearing rails are formed on a surface thereof disposed in opposed relation to a recording medium. A bleed portion is also provided at the surface of the slider body between a pair of gas bearing rails. The bleed portion is composed of at least a rectangular-shaped deep bleed portion in which the pair of longer sides thereof are directioned in parallel to the longitudinal axis direction of the gas bearing rails.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the clearance between a recording transducer and a recording medium, which includes at least a conductive layer or conductive section, comprises a field electron emission electrode section disposed on the recording transducer, a voltage source for applying a voltage, which is greater at least in its peak value than the work functions of the electrode section and the conductive layer or conductive section of the recording medium, between the electrode section and the conductive layer or conductive section of the recording medium, a current measuring device for measuring the current flowing from the voltage source to the electrode section and the conductive layer or conductive section of the recording medium, and a computation processor for calculating the distance between the electrode section and the recording medium from the value of current measured by the current measuring device.

Abstract: A flying head slider has gas bearing rails formed on a surface thereof disposed in opposed relation to a recording medium. The flying head slider flies at a microscopic distance above the recording medium by a pressure produced by a stream of gas resulted from the rotation of the recording medium. Each of the gas bearing rails comprises an inflow portion disposed at an inflow side of the gas stream so as to produce a pressure, an outflow portion disposed at an outflow side of the gas stream so as to produce a pressure, and a connective portion interconnecting the inflow portion and the outflow portion in a common plane. The connective portion serves to suppress an excessive compression of the gas, and achieves good damping characteristics.

Abstract: A flying head slider for supporting a magnetic head operative to transmit information into and out of a recording medium has a slider body having a surface to be disposed in faced relationship to the recording medium. Positive pressure generating portions are formed on the surface of the slider body to generate a positive pressure during rotation of the recording medium relative to the slider body. A bearing is formed in the fluid-inlet end of each positive pressure generating section to enhance a bearing action due to abrupt compression of fluid. A bleed slot is defined between the positive pressure generating sections and has a fluid-inlet end provided with a negative pressure generating means, whereby the slider stably floats a predetermined distance away from the recording medium during rotation thereof to enable the magnetic head to transmit information.