Abstract: A loader that loads a head onto a disk. The head is typically mounted to a flexure arm which has a rail. The rail may have a top edge. The loader has a finger which can engage the flexure arm at a location that does not make contact with the top edge of the rail. With the present invention the finger can remain adjacent to the flexure arm even after the head is loaded onto the disk. There is no requirement to retract the finger after loading the head.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the space between a transparent member such as a substrate, and reflective member such as a slider. The apparatus includes a first optical system which detects a first light beam that is reflected from the substrate and the slider. The reflected light is separated into four separate beams. The intensities of the beams are detected and utilized to determine a first stokes parameter, a second stokes parameter, a third stokes parameter and a fourth stokes parameter of the reflected light. The stokes parameters are used to compute the real index of refraction n, extinction coefficient k and the thickness of the space. The four stokes parameters account for any depolarized light that is reflected from the slider. The first optical system may have a photodetector which detects an image of the slider. The image provides multiple data points that can be used to calculate n, k and the thickness of the air gap without a retract routine.

Abstract: A microfilm reader is provided which not only permits an operator to visually examine previously created images, stored on microfilm, but also to create a digitized representation of the image being viewed. The reader includes an opto-mechanical system for displaying a selected image and also for directing the image to a digitizing sensor. The sensor is coupled to electronic circuitry for storing the digitized representation either in black and white form or with a gray scale. The contents of the storage unit can be accessed a microcomputer coupled to the reader for purposes of manipulating the digitized representation or for transmitting it to another display or an output device, such as a facsimile machine.