Abstract: A method for laser edge treating (LET) a slider and a slider with laser edge treatment, wherein the laser treatment is used to modify the curvature along the air-bearing surface, including altering a slider edge ridge that forms at the edges of the air bearing surface due to compressive stresses induced in the air bearing surface by a prior lapping step. The laser makes positive and negative adjustments to crown, cross curve, and twist as measured on the air bearing surface by selectively altering the treatment pattern or the treatment location on the slider's side edges.

Abstract: A lapping apparatus for controlling curvature of a hydrodynamic bearing slider includes a bar of slider substrate material and a lapping carrier. The bar of slider substrate material includes at least one slider body having a bearing surface, and a back surface, with the back surface having a periphery and a center. The lapping carrier has a support surface which supports the slider back surface at the periphery and has a recess in the support surface adjacent the slider center such that the back surface is unsupported at the slider center. During the lapping process, the center of the slider deflects into the recess in the lapping carrier such that less material is lapped from the bearing surface at the center than at the periphery, which results in a positive curvature change in the bearing surface.

Abstract: The present invention shows a plasma display panel drive circuit using low voltage controlled self-actuating devices as clamp circuits for selection of drive lines to be driven. Since such clamp circuits are in a normally ON condition for the sustain mode, the clamp circuits are self-actuating to transmit sustain pulses. The clamp circuits must be selected OFF to prevent the transmission of write and erase pulses in a self-actuating mode to the selected drive electrodes so that only the desired drive electrodes receive write and erase pulses.

Abstract: The present invention consists of improved drive circuitry for a plasma display panel using low voltage switching devices to control charge storage diodes which in turn regulate high voltage currents. These circuits are implemented as clamp bus selection means coupled with high voltage selection pulse circuit means. Further improvements comprise means for grounding unselected clamp buses. In combination with a plasma display panel, other, prior art, drive circuits, the clamp bus selection means and the high voltage selection pulse circuit means, the invention includes special sustain drive circuits.

Abstract: Apparatus for changing a dimension of the light-producing area in a display element of the type which emits light from any portion of an interface zone across which a voltage exceeding a certain threshold is established, by varying this voltage. A bias voltage source provides a potential along one side of the interface zone, which increases from one end to the other, with respect to the other side. The apparatus is particularly well suited for an electronic bar graph type indicator. Gas discharge devices such as plasma tubes, and LED's are particularly suitable types of display elements.