Abstract: A slider is used for supporting a transducing head proximate a rotating disc. The slider includes a primary air bearing having a disc opposing face bounded by a leading edge and a first trailing edge. An air bearing surface is defined on the disc opposing face. The slider further includes a secondary air bearing having a disc opposing face bounded by a front edge and a second trailing edge. The air bearing surface is defined on the disc opposing face. The air bearing surface has a pad proximate the second trailing edge wherein the transducing head is located on the pad. An interface connects the secondary air bearing to the primary air bearing and the interface displaces the transducing head vertically with respect to the primary air bearing to maintain head media spacing (HMS) between the transducing head and the disc substantially constant as the slider flies above the disc.

Abstract: A head suspension mounts a head assembly in a disc drive. The head suspension includes controllable bending elements on the gimbal portion of the head suspension which allow dynamic control of the flying attitude of the head assemblies, and thus the flying height. In a first embodiment, the control elements are bi-metal features that utilize differential thermal expansion to control the flying attitude. In a second, and presently preferred, embodiment, the control elements are piezo-electric elements which provide bi-directional control of associated elements of the gimbal portion of the head suspension. In another aspect, the controllable bending elements are used to increase the flying height of the head assembly as the head assembly is moved from the data recording area of the disc into engagement with a textured landing zone.

Abstract: A transducing head positioning system for use with patterned media. The patterned media comprises a plurality of data tracks and grooves. The grooved tracks can be used in connection with electrodes on a slider to create an electrostatic motor for microactuation of the slider.

Abstract: An electrical feedthrough assembly for establishing an electrical connection path through an aperture in a side wall of a housing, and a method of fabrication thereof. The feedthrough assembly comprises a plate and at least one electrical contact which extends through the plate. Preferably, a heating member is further provided to extend along a circumference of the plate. The plate is sized to span and surround the aperture so that, upon generation of heat by the heating member, at least one ring of sealing material adjacent the heating member flows to establish a seal between the plate and the housing wall surrounding the aperture. The heat is preferably generated by applying current to the heating member. The feedthrough assembly is preferably fabricated using a microfabrication process. A batch fabrication operation is preferably employed so that a population of the plates are formed from a single panel and subsequently separated therefrom.

Abstract: A disc head slider having a slider body that includes a bearing surface, a cavity dam and a sub-ambient pressure cavity is provided. The sub-ambient pressure cavity has a cavity floor, a plurality of sides and a depth that progressively varies between a point on one of the sides and a corresponding point on an opposing side. The depth is measured from the bearing surface to the cavity floor. The cavity floor comprises a plurality of substantially flat bottom surfaces that are separated by at least one elevational change. Other embodiments pertain to other specialized slider cavity configurations.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sealing a housing, and a housing sealed using the same. A peripherally extending flex seal assembly includes a heating member formed of an elongated conductor embedded within a flexible, thin-film dielectric ribbon. The flex seal assembly is placed on a first housing member and a second, mating housing member is placed on the flex seal assembly. Preferably, fasteners are used to affix the first and second housing members to compress the flex seal assembly therebetween. Current is applied to the heating member to fuse at least one ring of sealing material and form a corresponding number of hardened seal joints. The seal joints can be discrete rings to allow the formation of a hermetic housing seal. The seal joints can alternatively be arranged in a continuous spiral to form an elongated diffusion path between the interior of the housing and the exterior environment.

Abstract: A disc head slider having a slider body that includes a bearing surface, a cavity dam and a sub-ambient pressure cavity is provided. The sub-ambient pressure cavity has a cavity floor, a plurality of sides and a depth that progressively varies between a point on one of the sides and a corresponding point on an opposing side. The depth is measured from the bearing surface to the cavity floor. The cavity floor comprises a plurality of substantially flat bottom surfaces that are separated by at least one elevational change. Other embodiments pertain to other specialized slider cavity configurations.

Abstract: A head slider is provided that includes a slider body having leading and trailing slider edges and first and second side edges. The body further includes an air bearing surface generally disposed within a bearing surface plane. A raised portion is positioned on the bearing surface plane and spaced apart from the leading edge. Also, a comb structure is provided having a plurality of raised protrusions positioned proximate and substantially parallel to the leading edge of the slider, wherein the plurality of raised protrusions form gaps throughout the leading edge.

Abstract: An assembly includes a suspension component with a surface extending over a flexible region of the suspension component. The assembly also includes a damping layer disposed in a pattern that extends onto the surface. A sealing layer that is non-friable covers the damping layer. The sealing layer also preferably comprises a shear restraint layer for the damping layer.

Abstract: A clean suspension assembly for capturing particles carried by airflow along the suspension assembly includes an opening formed in the suspension assembly, and a particle capture device attached to the suspension assembly. In a further embodiment, the suspension assembly also includes a deflector located adjacent the opening.

Abstract: A slider includes a transducer-level microactuator for selectively positioning a transducer portion of the slider radially with respect to circumferential data tracks of a rotatable disc. The slider includes a slider body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a transducer body and a flexure body. The transducer body is spaced from the trailing edge of the sliding body and includes at least one transducer element. The flexure body extends from the trailing edge of the slider body and includes a first anchor point connected to the slider body and a second anchor point connected to the transducer body. The basecoat layer is deposited on the trailing edge of the slider body and substantially surrounds the flexure body wherein a gap separates the flexure body from the basecoat. A first actuation means is formed on the basecoat and a second actuation means is formed on the transducer body adjacent the slider body.

Abstract: A disc drive slider test system includes a support structure and a slider test socket carried by the support structure that releasably electrically and mechanically receives a slider for testing. The slider test socket includes a body forming a cavity for receiving the slider and a plurality of spring beams outside a plan area of the body connected to a clamp for releasably securing the slider in the cavity. In some exemplary embodiments, a microactuator is employed to position the slider secured by the slider test socket with high resolution with respect to tracks of the disc.

Abstract: The present invention includes gimbal having an attachment portion and a head support structure spaced apart from the attachment portion. A first strut connects the attachment portion and the head support structure. The first strut has an increased center portion and two end portions on opposite sides of the center portion. The increased center portion has a greater thickness than the two end portions. The gimbal also includes a second strut spaced apart from the first strut and is connected to the attachment portion and the head support structure. The second strut has an increased center portion and two end portions on opposite sides of the increased center portion. The increased center portion of the second strut has a greater thickness than the two end portions.

Abstract: A device for accessing data stored on a medium includes a substrate that has a transducer on a back side, a bottom side facing the disc, and a surface that protrudes from the bottom side. An insulation layer is placed on top of the surface. An electrostatic actuator electrode is placed on top of the insulation layer. The electrostatic actuator electrode faces the medium across an electrostatically charged portion of an air layer. The electrostatic actuator electrode protrudes above the surface into the electrostatically charged portion of the air layer.

Abstract: A slider for a data storage device is disclosed. The slider includes a bearing pad or surface having a raised bearing surface, a stepped bearing surface and a recessed pressure cavity or cavities. The recessed pressure cavity or cavities provides a reduced raised bearing surface area to reduce stiction and shape sensitivity. The recessed pressure cavity or cavities include a recessed cavity surface which is recessed from the raised bearing surface of the bearing surface or pad and a cavity step to the raised bearing surface.

Abstract: A slider for a data head including a dynamically imbalanced slider landing integrated pad interface (SLIP interface) forming a predicted tipped interface. For contact starts and stops the SLIP interface supports the slider so that the slider tips toward the predicted tipped interface. The predicted tipped interface includes a tribological surface to provide desired stiction control at the tipped interface.

Abstract: A disc drive that includes a slider with a field emission sensor that senses fly height. The sensor has an electrode tip disposed on the slider. The electrode tip faces a media surface across a gap. The sensor conducts a tunneling current through the gap and provides an output representing the length of the gap. An actuator adjusts the fly height spacing. A feedback circuit provides an actuator electrical input as a feedback function of the sensor output to control the fly height spacing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a suspension assembly having a slider body with a trailing edge face. A bond pad is positioned on the trailing edge face and a conductive trace is connected to the bond pad to form an electrical connection. A heating element includes a low resistivity portion and a high resistivity portion. The high resistivity portion is positioned proximate the electrical connection.

Abstract: A microactuation system selectively alters a position of a transducing head carried by a slider in a disc drive system with respect to a track of a rotatable disk having a plurality of concentric tracks. The microactuation system includes a head suspension having a first portion and a flexure for supporting the slider. A flexible beam extends from the first portion of the head suspension at one end to the flexure at the other end. An electroactive element is attached to the beam. The electroactive element bends in response to a control signal applied thereto. The beam is sufficiently compliant to permit movement of the first portion of the head suspension with respect to the flexure.

Abstract: The present invention is a novel method and apparatus for determining head media modulation in a magnetic data storage and retrieval system. The magnetic data storage and retrieval system includes a magnetic disc with a stored signal and a transducing head for reading a readback signal based on the stored data. The system includes a data acquisition and processing circuit. The processing circuit generates a dynamic harmonic ratio for the readback signal. The processing circuit also generates a head media modulation signal as a function of time from the dynamic harmonic ratio.