Abstract: A system according to one embodiment comprises a head having a perpendicular writer, the writer comprising: a first pole structure having a pole tip positioned towards an air bearing surface of the head, the first pole structure having a portion that is recessed from an extent of the pole tip closest the air bearing surface; a return pole having an end positioned towards the air bearing surface of the head; and a gap between the first pole structure and the return pole, wherein the recessed portion is recessed less than about 1.25 microns relative to the extent of the pole tip closest the air bearing surface. Additional embodiments as well as methods are presented.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for dynamic fly height and roll adjustment of a physical asperity sensor (PAS) head. The PAS head is used to test disk asperity heights and mechanical interference (commonly known as glide height and take off height). The PAS may be adjusted through a pivoting device such as a joystick coupled through one or more actuators to the pivoting device by actuator arms. In one embodiment, the actuator is a piezoelectric motor. The PAS head may utilize a detector to indicate the distance of the disk asperity from the PAS head. The method comprises receiving the signal and in response, operating the actuators to adjust the position of the pivoting device to obtain a selected positioning of either the fly height or the roll of the PAS.

Abstract: An in-situ technique for the acoustic emission monitoring of burnish heads while they are cleaning or burnishing magnetic media is described. The burnishing process is monitored and controlled to identify interaction or contact between the head and media due to, for example, burnish head damage, substrate curvature problems, and lube pick-up problems. A piezoelectric sensor is mounted on the burnish arm that holds the burnish heads. When head-disk interaction occurs, stress waves travel through the head to the sensor and an amplified signal is gathered in a tester database as an acoustic emission. Abnormal conditions will trigger an unusual emission that is detected to trigger an alert.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for dynamic fly height and roll adjustment of a physical asperity sensor (PAS) head. The PAS head is used to test disk asperity heights and mechanical interference (commonly known as glide height and take off height). The PAS may be adjusted through a pivoting device such as a joystick coupled through one or more actuators to the pivoting device by actuator arms. In one embodiment, the actuator is a piezoelectric motor. The PAS head may utilize a detector to indicate the distance of the disk asperity from the PAS head. The method comprises receiving the signal and in response, operating the actuators to adjust the position of the pivoting device to obtain a selected positioning of either the fly height or the roll of the PAS.

Abstract: A system for use in a memory disk test system is disclosed. The system comprises a fixture for holding a disk head and a moveable slide coupled to the fixture. The system includes a non-magnetic motor system engageably coupled to the slide for moving the test fixture. A system and method in accordance with the present invention offers an SDT system which utilizes piezoelectric motors resulting in higher throughput in producing memory disks. The system and method further achieves high performance, is lower cost in implementation, and is more compact than conventional SDT systems. The system and method, by removing time delay, offers the advantage of cycle time reduction over conventional SDT systems.