Abstract: A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 ?sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.

Abstract: A glide-height disk-tester operates with the test disk rotating at a predetermined constant rotational speed and uses a glide head with an electrically-resistive heater and a thermally-responsive protrusion pad located on its trailing end. The linear velocity of the disk relative to the slider maintains the slider at its nominal fly height, which is typically higher than any expected asperity. With no current applied to the heater, the protrusion pad is generally flush with the air-bearing surface of the slider. Increasing levels of current are applied to the heater, which causes movement of the protrusion pad toward the disk surface. When the pad contacts an asperity, the current level applied at the instant of asperity contact is recorded. The applied current level can be correlated to the glide height from a previous calibration process using a calibration disk with known calibration bump heights.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk device which lowers the cost, maintains reliability by compensating the thermal dent or protuberance caused by a change in the environmental temperature, makes it possible to increase the recording density by decreasing the floating amount of the slider, to increase the capacity of the device or to decrease the size thereof. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk device comprises a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider, and a drive unit for moving the magnetic head slider, wherein an air stream is generated between the magnetic disk that rotates and the magnetic head slider to effect the recording or the reproduction in a state where the magnetic head slider is floating. The magnetic head slider includes a slider substrate portion and a thin-film head portion that has recording and reproducing elements, a metal film, and an insulating film formed on the slider substrate portion and constituting a slider-floating plane along with the slider substrate portion.

Abstract: In a slider using thermal expansion type, being adjustable on a flying height thereof, having problems to be solved, i.e., to reduce the electric power consumption, and to lesson the heat load upon a reproducing element thereof, wherein a heating device 4 is located separating from tip portions of the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3. Also, for deforming only the vicinity of the heating device 4 and the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3, so as to protrude from, the heating device 4 and the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3 are surrounded by a resin film 6 of small rigidity, thereby increasing an amount of protrusion of the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3 per a unit of electric power, but without increasing temperature of the reproducing element 3, with an aim of the structure of cutting off the force from materials of circumferences against the deformation.

Abstract: A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 ?sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention appropriately control the flying height of a magnetic head slider as necessary without making the magnetic head slider touch the magnetic disk. In one embodiment, when a magnetic disk drive is started, the level of electric power predefined for the ordinary temperature (room temperature) is read in from the internal memory of an MPU. A temperature sensor measures the internal temperature of the magnetic disk drive and sends it to the MPU. According to the temperature sent from the temperature sensor, the MPU calculates the level of electric power which should be applied to a flying height adjustment structure. According to the calculated electric power, the MPU increases or decreases the electric power applied to the flying height adjustment structure. At a flying height controlled (corrected) by the flying height adjustment structure, a magnetic head slider performs read/write on a magnetic disk.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus, mounting of plural heating elements to a magnetic head slider is permitted. Thermally assisted magnetic recording from inner to outer surface is permitted at a small amount of power consumption. In one embodiment, the magnetic disk apparatus has a magnetic disk on which magnetic information is recorded, a magnetic head slider having an air bearing surface for floating from the magnetic disk in proximity thereto, and a rotary actuator moving over the disk arcuately while supporting the magnetic head slider by a suspension. A recording element acting to record magnetic information on the magnetic disk, a playback element acting to play back the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic disk, and plural heating elements acting to locally heat the magnetic disk are carried on the magnetic head slider.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention secure a sufficiently large magnetic field, and deter a protrusion phenomenon of a perpendicular magnetic recording head, causing a problem in implementing a low flying height, while solving problems such as erasure of information in peripheral tracks. In one embodiment, a main pole or a stacked body made up of the main pole, and an auxiliary pole is deposited over an underlayer formed on a substrate so as to be in contact with the underlayer. On top of the main pole or the stacked body, there is deposited a coil, a return pole, and a read element in that order, thereby fabricating a perpendicular magnetic recording head.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider in which a leading pad is projected in a thicknesswise direction of the slider, in comparison with a trailing pad so as to reduce vibration caused by contact between a flat medium surface of a disc and the slider carrying thereon a magnetic head, to reduce variation in flying height caused by wavy unevenness of the medium surface, and to reduce variation in atmospheric pressure around the slider, thereby it is possible to enhance the recording density and the reliability of the magnetic head slider while reducing the costs thereof. Further, a magnetic disc unit using the above-mentioned magnetic head slider.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk device, cost reduction is designed by improving productivity, and increase in recording density and increase in capacity of the device or size reduction are designed with reliability being ensured. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk device has a magnetic disk arranged rotatably, a magnetic head slider arranged in a manner of facing a surface of the magnetic disk, and a driving device for moving the magnetic head slider in a radial direction of the surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head slider has a silicon slider-substrate-portion and a thin-film head portion which is formed on the slider substrate portion using a thin-film process and forms an air-bearing surface along with the slider substrate portion.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk device which improves the shielding function for the magnetic heads yet maintaining a form factor relying upon an inexpensive constitution. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk device comprises a rotary disk-type magnetic disk; a magnetic head for recording or reproducing information; a magnetic head support mechanism for supporting the magnetic head; a shroud having an opening in which the magnetic head support mechanism is inserted, and surrounding the outer circumference of the magnetic disk; and a housing. The housing includes a base and a cover, and accommodates the magnetic disk, the magnetic head, the magnetic head support mechanism and the shroud. The base is constituted by using a nonmagnetic material and the shroud is constituted by using a magnetic material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention achieve a decrease in electric power consumption while ensuring high recording density and high reliability in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a rotatable magnetic disk and a magnetic head slider to be able to fly above a surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head slider comprises an air bearing surface, by which the magnetic head slider is caused to fly and come near to the rotating surface of the magnetic disk with a predetermined spacing therebetween, recording and reproducing elements to perform at least one of recording on and reproduction from the magnetic disk, and a heating device to adjust a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk. The heating device is mounted such that heating thereof causes a part of the air bearing surface to expand and project to increase a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A thermal flying height adjustment slider capable of being mounted on a small-sized thin film magnetic head slider is provided wherein terminals of an energizer serving as a heater prevent corrosion of pole pieces and the number of terminals is reduced. In one embodiment, one of terminals of the energizer serving as the heater is electrically connected to the lower pole piece, so that a relay terminal for a heating device is used also as the terminal for preventing the corrosion of pole pieces.

Abstract: In a slider using thermal expansion type, being adjustable on a flying height thereof, having problems to be solved, i.e., to reduce the electric power consumption, and to lesson the heat load upon a reproducing element thereof, wherein a heating device 4 is located separating from tip portions of the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3. Also, for deforming only the vicinity of the heating device 4 and the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3, so as to protrude from, the heating device 4 and the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3 are surrounded by a resin film 6 of small rigidity, thereby increasing an amount of protrusion of the recording and reproducing elements 2 and 3 per a unit of electric power, but without increasing temperature of the reproducing element 3, with an aim of the structure of cutting off the force from materials of circumferences against the deformation.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a rotation mechanism for driving a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider being floated in close proximity to a surface of the magnetic disk, a recording/reproduction element for performing recording and playback of information, a drive unit for causing a distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk to change, and means for performing position determination of the magnetic head slider, wherein the apparatus has a detection unit for permitting the drive unit to gradually reduce the distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk and for detecting occurrence of contact therebetween, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit in such a way as to cause, the record/reproduction element to shift in position by a fixed amount to thereby let the distance between this element and magnetic disk increase accordingly.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a rotation mechanism for driving a magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider being floated in close proximity to a surface of the magnetic disk, a recording/reproduction element for performing recording and playback of information, a drive unit for causing a distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk to change, and means for performing position determination of the magnetic head slider, wherein the apparatus has a detection unit for permitting the drive unit to gradually reduce the distance between the record/reproduction element and the magnetic disk and for detecting occurrence of contact therebetween, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit in such a way as to cause, the record/reproduction element to shift in position by a fixed amount to thereby let the distance between this element and magnetic disk increase accordingly.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider in which a leading pad is projected in a thicknesswise direction of the slider, in comparison with a trailing pad so as to reduce vibration caused by contact between a flat medium surface of a disc and the slider carrying thereon a magnetic head, to reduce variation in flying height caused by wavy unevenness of the medium surface, and to reduce variation in atmospheric pressure around the slider, thereby it is possible to enhance the recording density and the reliability of the magnetic head slider while reducing the costs thereof. Further, a magnetic disc unit using the above-mentioned magnetic head slider.

Abstract: A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 &mgr;sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.

Abstract: Employed is a structure for moving by a micro-actuator not a read/write element but an air-bearing surface pad. The air-bearing surface pad is arranged nearer to the leading end than the read/write element. This arrangement allows the read/write element portion to have a sufficient size, making it possible to mount the currently used read/write element and associated wiring structure. The individual adjustment of a flying height leads to the increased recording density. Moving the read/write element away from the disk during loading/unloading operations can enhance reliability.

Abstract: Employed is a structure for moving by a micro-actuator not a read/write element but an air-bearing surface pad. The air-bearing surface pad is arranged nearer to the leading end than the read/write element. This arrangement allows the read/write element portion to have a sufficient size, making it possible to mount the currently used read/write element and associated wiring structure. The individual adjustment of a flying height leads to the increased recording density. Moving the read/write element away from the disk during loading/unloading operations can enhance reliability.