Abstract: The present invention is a method for evaluating a multiplicity of data handling devices each having a sealed chamber with several interior surfaces. It uses an impurity chamber containing thousands of dispersed gas-borne particles that each contain a marker impurity that is substantially absent from all of the interior surfaces of at least one of the devices. That device is tested for vulnerability to external dust using the marker impurity.

Abstract: A disc head slider includes a slider body having a disc-facing surface and a leading surface adjacent to the disc facing surface. The disc facing surface has leading-most edge and first and second side edges. A bearing surface is formed on the disc facing surface. A debris deflection surface is formed along the leading surface, which is spaced vertically from the leading-most edge with respect to the disc facing surface and has a tangent that forms an angle with the bearing surface of less than ninety degrees.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for evaluating a multiplicity of data handling devices each having a sealed chamber with several interior surfaces. It uses an impurity chamber containing thousands of dispersed gas-borne particles that each contain a marker impurity that is substantially absent from all of the interior surfaces of at least one of the devices. That device is tested for vulnerability to external dust using the marker impurity.

Abstract: A disc head slider includes a slider body having a disc-facing surface and a leading surface adjacent to the disc facing surface. The disc facing surface has leading-most edge and first and second side edges. A bearing surface is formed on the disc facing surface. A debris deflection surface is formed along the leading surface, which is spaced vertically from the leading-most edge with respect to the disc facing surface and has a tangent that forms an angle with the bearing surface of less than ninety degrees.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided to position a transducing bead with respect to a selected radial track of a rotatable recording disc in a disc drive including an actuator arm and a suspension load beam connected to the actuator arm. A plate is hingedly attached to the load beam, and a flexure is attached to the plate. A slider supporting the transducing head is attached to the flexure. A microactuator is attached to the plate and is operable in response to electrical control signals to move the plate relative to the load beam in the general plane of the load beam to selectively position the transducing head proximate to the selected radial track on the rotatable recording disc.