Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a slider with an air bearing surface, and a head element in the slider. The slider includes a leading step at a leading side end of the air bearing surface, a trailing step at a trailing side end of the air bearing surface and including the head element, a deep groove formed between the leading step and the trailing step and opening to the air bearing surface, a center rail extending from a center portion of the air bearing surface to the trailing step, and a pair of pressure generators disposed between the center rail and each side edge.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated methodology contemplating a slider body defining longitudinal extents at a leading end and a trailing end. A fluid bearing surface is formed in part by a side rail extending substantially longitudinally along the slider body and joined to a cross rail extending substantially laterally along the slider body. The side rail and the cross rail define at least a portion of a positive pressure recess. A vent is defined in the fluid bearing surface that is in fluid communication with ambient pressure fluid on one side of the side rail but is not in fluid communication with the positive pressure recess on the other side of the side rail.

Abstract: A slider comprises a slider trailing edge; a lubricant blocker having a disk facing surface and a lubricant blocker trailing edge, the lubricant blocker trailing edge having a lateral end trailing a central end; and a lubricant guiding channel recessed from the disk facing surface and extending from the slider trailing edge to the lubricant blocker trailing edge.

Abstract: A slider that minimizes lubricant accumulation includes bearing surfaces that provide above ambient fluid pressure, a cavity located between two bearing surfaces and at least one step feature that is spaced apart from the bearing surfaces and is located in and protrudes from a floor of the cavity at a height that is less than a height of the bearing surfaces. The at least one step feature includes surfaces configured to diverge and converge airflow in the cavity.

Abstract: Approaches for a head slider for use within a hard-disk drive. The head slider comprises an air bearing surface (ABS) and an electromagnetic transducer disposed at an air outflow end of the air bearing surface. The air bearing surface comprises an inner (ID) side rail proximate the inner diameter side and an outer (OD) side rail proximate the outer diameter side. The ID side rail is longer in length than the OD side rail. The physical dimensions of the ID side rail have a geometry that reduces a contact force between the head and the magnetic-recording disk when the head experiences a positive roll static attitude (RSA). The physical dimensions of the OD side rail have a geometry that reduces contact force between the head and the magnetic-recording disk when the head experiences a negative RSA.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to reducing the probability of a slider contacting a surface of a disk. According to one embodiment, a first etch is performed on the slider. Air compression mechanisms are created near each corner associated with a trailing edge of the slider so that the probability that the corners will contact the surface of the disk is reduced.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a slider designed to reduce fly height sigma. According to one embodiment, a slider includes an air bearing surface, a front shallow step pad, a rear shallow step pad, and rear side pockets. The front shallow step pad and the rear shallow step pad are at a first level deeper than the air bearing surface. The rear side pockets are at a second level deeper than the air bearing surface. The rear side pockets are in close proximity to rear corners of the slider.

Abstract: A slider that includes a necked ABS pad is disclosed. More specifically, the slider includes an ABS pad having a first ABS region and a second ABS region, where the second ABS region is disposed immediately in front of the first ABS region proceeding in the direction of a leading edge of the slider. A transducer and a thermal actuator each may be disposed within the first ABS region. The width of the second ABS region (a necked portion of the ABS pad) is less than a width of the first ABS region.

Abstract: A head has an air bearing surface with left and right leading pressurizing steps. The left and right leading pressurizing steps are each partially surrounded by left and right leading pads, respectively. The left leading pressurizing step includes a left short region that extends for a first distance (measured parallel to the slider longitudinal axis) from the leading face of the slider to the left leading pad. The left leading pressurizing step also includes a left long region that extends for a second distance (measured parallel to the longitudinal axis) from the leading face to the left leading pad. The second distance is at least 25% greater than the first distance. The left short region is disposed closer to the left lateral face than is the left long region. The left long region is disposed closer to the longitudinal axis than is the left short region.

Abstract: A head includes a transducer and a slider having an air bearing surface (ABS) and a trailing face. The slider has an overcoat layer that includes the trailing face and that overcoats the transducer. The ABS includes a trailing pad having a major surface adjacent the transducer, with the major surface lying in a primary plane. The ABS also includes a sub-ambient pressure cavity disposed upstream of the overcoat layer and being recessed from the primary plane by a cavity depth in the range 0.8 to 2 microns. The overcoat layer includes a trailing air flow dam being recessed from the primary plane by a step depth in the range 0.05 to 0.5 microns. The overcoat layer also includes a corner region recessed from the primary plane by at least the cavity depth.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of producing a magnetic head slider comprises the steps of forming, on the air bearing surface of the slider, an air bearing surface overcoat, removing the surface region from a hard amorphous carbon film by the irradiation with an ion beam which is tilted with respect to a normal to the air bearing surface, and forming a rail in the air bearing surface on which the air bearing surface overcoat has been formed. A high density and covering performance are obtained when the angle of irradiating the ion beam is not smaller than about 60 degrees from a normal to the air bearing surface of the magnetic head slider and when the acceleration voltage for the ion beam is not higher than about 300 V in the step of removing part of the air bearing surface overcoat.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider suitable for a disk drive measuring 1.8 inches or less in disk size incorporates preventive measures against the decreases in lifting force that occur in small sliders with a slider width of 0.8 mm or less. The present invention improves the inclination margins of the flying slider in a rolling direction at the lowest flying point, and achieves low flying height and stable flying. The slider is constructed with stepped surfaces on the slider's leading-side flying surface formed up of shallow-grooved surfaces and a deep-grooved surface so that a trailing-side width W2 between the stepped surfaces is smaller than a leading-side width W1.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing sliders from a bar has: a radiating step which includes radiating an electromagnetic wave on at least a part of each space on a second surface of said bar, wherein said second surface is a back surface of a first surface of said bar, said first surface being formed into an air bearing surface of said slider, wherein said space is sandwiched between said elements, and wherein said electromagnetic wave is radiated such that an entire portion of said bar forms a curved shape such that said first surface forms a convex surface; a lapping step of lapping said first surface while pressing said bar against a lapping surface such that said first surface of each element forms a concave shape; and a dicing step of dicing said bar along said spaces to separate said bar into said sliders.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive includes an actuator arm, a suspension fixed to a tip end of the actuator arm, and a head slider having at least two electromagnetic transducers mounted at a tip end of the suspension. The head slider has a first electromagnetic transducer inclined in a direction in which the inner side face side is nearer to an air outflow end than a central portion thereof, and a second electromagnetic transducer inclined in a direction in which the outer side face side is nearer to the air outflow side than the central portion thereof. A controller performs changeover control such that an inner side data region of a magnetic disk is taken charge of by the first electromagnetic transducer while an outer side data region is taken charge of by the second electromagnetic transducer.

Abstract: A disk drive that has a plurality of heads coupled to one or more disks. The heads have air bearing surfaces that compensate for a radial crown and a radial camber of an adjacent disk to maintain a flying height at a relatively constant level across the disk surface. By way of example, the air bearing surfaces may have crown and camber sensitivities that are opposite in sign from the crown and camber sensitivities created by the disk. The opposite sensitivities offset the sensitivities of the disk to maintain an essentially constant flying height as the head moves across the surface of a disk.

Abstract: A magnetic head device floats above a surface of a rotating recording medium due to airflow. A front positive-pressure surface is formed in the leading side of an opposed surface of a slider, and a rear positive-pressure surface is formed in the trailing side. A front edge portion of the rear positive-pressure surface has a shape recessed toward the trailing side, and a concave portion is formed from the front edge portion toward the magnetic functional unit. Airflow flowing between the slider and the recording medium is concentrated in the rear of the concave portion. When the magnetic functional unit emits heat and thus a portion projects toward the recording medium, a decrease in the floating distance of the magnetic functional unit can be counteracted by the local positive pressure of the airflow concentrated locally.

Abstract: A slider comprises a slider section and an element section. The slider section has a first medium facing surface and an air inflow end. The element section has a second medium facing surface, an air outflow end, and a thin-film magnetic head element. The slider section and the element section are produced separately, and bonded to each other so that the air inflow end and the air outflow end are disposed on opposite sides with the first and second medium facing surfaces in between.

Abstract: A recording/reproduction element is mounted on a magnetic head slider via a piezoelectric element so that a displacement of the piezoelectric element performs fine control of the position of the recording/reproduction, thus enabling fine spacing and high track positioning accuracy. This improves linear recording density and track density. A pair of electrodes are formed on both sides of a piezoelectric element to constitute a piezoelectric actuator. One electrode is arranged opposite the rear surface (air flow out end) of a magnetic head slider 11. A recording/reproduction element is arranged on and electrically insulated from the other electrode. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric element displaced in a spacing direction, enabling fine spacing control, a piezoelectric element displaced in the track direction, enabling fine track position control, and a piezoelectric element displaced in a magnetic disc rotation direction, enabling reduction of jitter of a reproduction signal.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider, for sliding on a magnetic disk, which has a leading edge, a trailing edge, an air bearing surface having a front step bearing of submicron depth made from the leading edge, and a rail surface made from the front step bearing. A negative pressure recess which is deeper than the front step bearing, is formed as a recess from the rail surf ace, and a side step bearing with a depth identical to that of the front step bearing is made from the rail surface. Side padB are provided which each have a width W and length L, wherein W is greater than L.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention can be regarded an air bearing slider for use in a disk drive including a rotatable magnetic disk. The slider includes a leading side and a trailing side. The slider further includes opposing lateral sides extending between the leading and trailing sides. The slider further includes a transducer pad disposed adjacent the trailing side. The transducer pad includes a transducer for reading and writing data from and to the magnetic disk. The slider further includes a pair of pressurized side pads each respectively disposed laterally between the transducer pad and a respective one of the lateral sides. Each side pad includes a forward shallow etched surface, a trailing shallow etched surface extending from adjacent the trailing side toward the leading side, and a side pad air bearing surface disposed between and above the forward and trailing shallow etched surfaces.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider, for sliding on a magnetic disk, which comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, an air bearing surface having a front step bearing of submicron depth made from the leading edge, and a rail surface made from the front step bearing. A negative pressure recess, which is more profound than the front step bearing, is made from the rail surface, and a side step bearing with a depth identical to that of the front step bearing is made from the rail surface, wherein the ratio of depth R of the recess and depth ?s of the front step bearing is R/?s?5.

Abstract: An air bearing slider which includes a raised bearing surface or surfaces contoured to limit off nodal pressurization. The air bearing surfaces are located proximate to nodal regions of a height field or profile between the slider and disc surface to limit off-nodal pressurization. The air bearing slider includes a narrow raised bearing surface profile proximate to the trailing edge of the slider body and an expanded intermediate profile along an intermediate portion to provide lift and roll stability proximate to an intermediate nodal region of the slider body to limit off nodal pressurization.

Abstract: A disc head slider is provided and includes a disc-facing surface. The disc-facing surface comprises an inside set of surface components that includes an inside cavity dam and an inside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an inside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface further comprises an outside set of surface components that includes an outside cavity dam and an outside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an outside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface also comprises a center set of surface components that is generally disposed between the inside and outside sets of surface components. The center set of surface components includes a center cavity dam and a center sub-ambient pressure cavity having a center cavity floor. The inside, outside and center sets of surface components are separate and disassociated from one another.

Abstract: A slider utilizes a triple-etch, high pitch-stiffness side rail ABS design. The slider is characterized by a relatively deep shallow recession at its leading edge, which maximizes the cavity area while at the same time increases the pitch angle to achieve DLC pad clearance as required by smooth media ABS designs. The slider ABS has a shallower recession at the trailing edge, which provides low gram-load sensitivity and low flying standard deviation. The slider ABS further presents a decreased sensitivity in response to altitude variations.

Abstract: An improved slider design is presented including first and second rails, where the rear portions of the rails have an angle greater than 0°. Adjacent to an inside edge of at least one of the rails, a secondary structure is placed having a height less than that of the rails. Though subambient pressure is present between the first and second rails, the pressure is greater at the secondary structure. In one embodiment, the pressure at the secondary structure is less than one atmosphere over all diameters of the moving recording medium. The slider design of the present invention provides a “stiffer” air bearing, in that the slider resists changes due to gram loading to achieve a narrow distribution in flying height variations as well as roll and pitch variations.

Abstract: An air bearing slider for use in a disk drive. The slider includes a leading side and an opposing trailing side. The slider includes a pair of opposing lateral sides disposed between the leading and trailing sides. The slider includes a leading side air bearing surface including a main portion adjacent the leading side and a trailing portion extending from the main portion toward the trailing side along a respective one of the lateral sides. The slider includes a side rail disposed laterally along and between the respective lateral side and the trailing portion. The slider includes a channel formed between the side rail and the trailing portion disposed angularly with respect to the respective lateral side by extending from adjacent the respective lateral side towards the trailing side away from the respective lateral side for receiving airflow through the channel during operation of the disk drive.

Abstract: A head slider for magnetic disks is lifted above a magnetic disk by airflow generated by rotation of the magnetic disk. The head slider includes an airflow guide part. The airflow guide part guides the airflow along a disk-facing surface of the head slider toward the sides of the disk-facing surface.

Abstract: A slider comprises a slider section and an element section. The slider section has a first medium facing surface and an air inflow end. The element section has a second medium facing surface, an air outflow end, and a thin-film magnetic head element. The slider section and the element section are produced separately, and bonded to each other so that the air inflow end and the air outflow end are disposed on opposite sides with the first and second medium facing surfaces in between.

Abstract: A disc head slider includes a slider body having a disc-facing surface, a recessed area positioned on the disc-facing surface, and a raised rail positioned on the disc-facing surface adjacent the recessed area. The raised rail includes a bearing surface and a recessed step surface which is recessed from the bearing surface and is raised from the recessed area. A plurality of bearing pads are formed on the recessed step surface and have upper surfaces that together define the bearing surface. A non-bearing pad is formed on the recessed step surface and has an upper surface, which is generally coplanar with the bearing surface, and a pointed leading pad edge.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a ramp load disc drive storage system having improved loading performance and a reduced likelihood of failure due to stiction and damage caused by contact between a slider and a disc surface during ramp load operations. The slider generally includes wear-resistive pads which allow for improved loading performance and reduce stiction between the slider and a disc surface. The pads also allow the ramp load disc drive storage system to be operated in a ramp load/unload mode or a contact start/stop mode. Additionally, a method of operating a ramp load disc drive is provided where the slider is loaded above a disc surface from a ramp prior to the disc reaching a full operating speed.

Abstract: A slider for a disk drive has an air bearing surface that opposes a rotatable disk of recordable media. The air bearing surface includes one or more interior cavities to reduce van der Waals and electrostatic forces that attract the slider to the disk.

Abstract: A slider is provided for actively controlling a fly height of the slider relative to a data storage disc during operation of a data storage system. The slider includes a slider body having front and back surfaces, a length and a crown curvature on the front surface along the length. The slider also includes first and second elongated rails which are positioned on the front surface along the length of the slider body and form first and second bearing surfaces. Each bearing surface includes a leading portion, a trailing portion and a waist portion, wherein the waist portion is wider than the leading and trailing portions and has a maximum width within a middle half of the length of the slider body. A deformable material is positioned on the slider body having a dimension that is changeable in response to an electrical control signal applied in a deformable material, wherein a change in the dimension causes a change in the crown curvature.

Abstract: A head slider having a disk opposing surface, an air inlet end, and an air outlet end. The head slider includes a front rail formed on the disk opposing surface in the vicinity of the air inlet end, the front rail having an air bearing surface and a step surface lower in level than the air bearing surface; a transducer formed in the vicinity of the air outlet end; and a first groove for expanding air once compressed by the front rail to generate a negative pressure. The head slider further includes a second groove formed on the step surface near the air inlet end except opposite side portions of the step surface. The step surface reaches the air inlet end at the opposite side portions.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a constant flying height of a magnetic head: adapted to maintain a flying height of a magnetic head on a magnetic disk substantially constant irrespective of a change of a skew angle, utilizing a device comprising a magnetic disk, a positioning device, a head supporting device and a magnetic head; said positioning device supporting one end of said head supporting device and rotating the head supporting device on a first plane placed on a second plane of said magnetic disk within a predetermined skew angle range; the head supporting device supporting said magnetic head at the other end thereof; the magnetic head being attached with reading/writing elements at an air discharge end of a slider having flying planes on a side of a third plane thereof opposing the magnetic disk; a thickness of said slider from each of the flying planes to an opposite surface on the reverse side thereof being 0.

Abstract: An air bearing slider for use in a disk drive. The slider includes a leading side and an opposing trailing side. The slider further includes a pair of leading side air bearing surfaces disposed adjacent the leading side. Each of the leading side air bearing surfaces includes a main portion and a trailing portion extending from the main portion toward the trailing side. The slider further includes a pair of side rails. Each of the side rails is disposed between a respective one of the leading side air bearing surfaces and the trailing side. Each of the side rails includes a side rail air bearing surface disposed toward the trailing side and a side rail shallow recessed surface extending away from the side rail air bearing surface toward the respective main portion and laterally along the respective trailing portion in spaced relation to the respective trailing portion.

Abstract: A disk drive (22) for load/unload applications having an actuator arm (32), a slider (34) and a suspension membrane (48) which attaches the slider (34) to the actuator arm (32). The slider (34) includes a leading edge (50), a trailing edge (52), a number of pads (80, 82) and a cavity (60), which creates a region of sub-ambient pressure (61), including a negative pressure center (62). A load point (64) is formed where the suspension membrane (48) attaches to the slider (34). The negative pressure center (62) is positioned towards the trailing edge (52) relative to the load point (64), such that when upward force (96) is applied to the slider (34) at the load point (64), a moment (98) is produced which raises the leading edge (50), allowing increased air flow into the cavity (60), which diminishes the sub-ambient pressure (61), and allows the arm (34) to be raised without damaging the suspension membrane (48).

Abstract: A magnetic head slider for sliding on a magnetic disk includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, an air bearing surface having a front step bearing of submicron depth made from the leading edge, and a rail surface made from the front step bearing. A negative pressure recess which is more profound than the front step bearing is made from the rail surface, and a side step bearing having a depth identical with the front step bearing is made from the rail surface. The ratio of the depth R of the recess to the depth &dgr;S of the front step bearing is R/&dgr;s>5.

Abstract: An AAB slider has a leading edge generally impinging fluid flow due to movement of a medium relative to the slider. A cavity dam defines a continuous air bearing surface that extends over a region between the sides of the slider and between at least one sub-ambient cavity and the leading edge. Step level slots in the air bearing surface at the leading edge admit fluid into the region of the air bearing surface. Side rails on the slider extend rearward from the cavity dam to form the sub-ambient cavity. The air bearing surface is characterized by the absence of a channel adjacent the leading edge that extends between the sides of the slider. A center rail extends rearward from the cavity dam to the trailing edge and supports a transducer. The arrangement is such that airflow to the transducer is minimized, thus minimizing particulate matter from accumulating on the trailing edge slider features, including the transducer.

Abstract: A disc storage system includes a rotating disc and a transducer. The transducer is carried on a slider which is supported by an armature. The armature is used to move the slider radially across the disc surface whereby information may be read from or written to the disc surface of the transducer. The slider includes an air bearing surface which faces the disc surface. As the disc rotates, the air bearing surface causes the slider to “fly” over the disc surface. Pads are provided on the air bearing surface to improve operational characteristics of the system. For example, the pads may be used to reduce the stiction or improve flying characteristics. Flying instabilities associated with the pads are addressed by a number of characteristics provided to the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A slider comprises a slider section and an element section. The slider section has a first medium facing surface and an air inflow end. The element section has a second medium facing surface, an air outflow end, and a thin-film magnetic head element. The slider section and the element section are produced separately, and bonded to each other so that the air inflow end and the air outflow end are disposed on opposite sides with the first and second medium facing surfaces in between.

Abstract: A dual etch depth slider air bearing surface includes a front pad disposed along the front and partially along the sides of the slider and a rear pad partially disposed along the rear of the slider, wherein a skewed center rail connects the front pad to the rear pad. Extending above the rear pad is a V-shaped ABS pad and extending above the front pad are two leading edge ABS pads that are separated by a channel towards the longitudinal center of the slider. The design enables the slider to fly much higher over the landing zone of the disk than at the data zone and provides for a steep take off profile followed by a rapid descend over the data zone.

Abstract: A slider includes a slider main body and a thin-film magnetic head element. The slider main body has an air bearing surface, an air inflow end, and an air outflow end. The air bearing surface has a first part closer to the air outflow end, a second part closer to the air inflow end, and a border part between the first part and the second part. The second part is slanted against the first part so that the entire air bearing surface has a convex shape bent at the border part.

Abstract: A disc head slider includes a slider body having a disc-opposing face with leading and trailing slider edges, a slider length measured between the leading and trailing slider edges, a bearing surface, a recessed area, an inlet and a convergent channel. The recessed area is recessed from the bearing surface. The inlet has a leading channel end, which is open to air flow from the leading slider edge, channel side walls and a trailing channel end. The convergent channel has a leading channel end, which is open to fluid flow from the inlet, channel side walls and a trailing channel end, which is closed to the fluid flow. The trailing channel end of the convergent channel is located along the slider length rearward of at least a portion of the recessed area and forward of at least a portion of the bearing surface.

Abstract: A slider comprises a substrate, a thin-film magnetic head element, an insulating portion, and a medium facing layer. The substrate has a first surface facing toward a recording medium and a second surface meeting this first surface. The first surface is located farther from the recording medium than an air bearing surface. The thin-film magnetic head element is located near the second surface of the substrate and near the air bearing surface. The insulating portion surrounds the thin-film magnetic head element and has a surface constituting a part of the air bearing surface. The medium facing layer is adjacent to the first surface of the substrate and has a surface constituting another part of the air bearing surface. The substrate has a hardness greater than that of the insulating portion. As the substrate and the medium facing layer are compared in hardness, the medium facing layer has a hardness closer to that of the insulating portion.

Abstract: A slider for carrying transducers for a data storage device including a stiction control trench. The stiction control trench includes a boundary dimension to reduce creep or interference of the pressurized profile of the raised bearing surface to provide stiction control while limiting interference with the hydrodynamic bearing design.

Abstract: A disc head slider is provided and includes a disc-facing surface. The disc-facing surface comprises an inside set of surface components that includes an inside cavity dam and an inside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an inside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface further comprises an outside set of surface components that includes an outside cavity dam and an outside sub-ambient pressure cavity having an outside cavity floor. The disc-facing surface also comprises a center set of surface components that is generally disposed between the inside and outside sets of surface components. The center set of surface components includes a center cavity dam and a center sub-ambient pressure cavity having a center cavity floor. The inside, outside and center sets of surface components are separate and disassociated from one another.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider for writing or reading magnetic information while flying above a magnetic disk, includes a slider body provided with a magnetic head core, and a rail and/or a pad for generating lift, provided on the surface facing a recording medium of the slider body. A crown is formed at least at a position on the rail selected from the group consisting of the surface facing the recording medium of the slider body, the rail, and the pad. The rail includes side-rails formed on both sides of the surface facing the recording medium of the slider body and extending from the air inflow side to the air outflow side of the slider body. A groove is provided between the side-rails. At least one protrusion is provided on each side-rail on the air inflow side and/or on each side of the groove on the air inflow side. The protrusion protrudes more toward the magnetic disk than the side-rails.

Abstract: A disc head slider includes a leading slider edge, a cavity dam, a subambient pressure cavity, which trails the cavity dam and has a cavity floor, and first and second rails disposed about the subambient pressure cavity. Each rail has leading and trailing bearing surfaces and a recessed surface extending between the leading and trailing bearing surfaces, which is recessed from the bearing surfaces and raised from the cavity floor, across the rail width. Recessed leading channels are positioned near the leading slider edge and have a leading channel end open to fluid flow from the leading slider edge, non-divergent channel side walls, and a trailing channel end closed to the fluid flow. A trailing channel is recessed within each of the trailing bearing surfaces and has a leading channel end open to fluid flow from the respective recessed surface, non-divergent channel side walls, and a trailing channel end closed to the fluid flow.

Abstract: A disk drive including a negative pressure type head slider having a transducer for reading/writing data from/to a disk having a plurality of tracks, and an actuator for moving the head slider across the tracks of the disk. The actuator includes an actuator arm rotatably mounted on a base of the head slider, a suspension fixed at a base end portion thereof to a front end portion of the actuator arm, and the head slider mounted on a front end portion of the suspension. The head slider includes a front pad having a raised surface and a step surface lower in level than the raised surface, the transducer formed near the air outlet end, and a first groove for generating a negative pressure by expanding air once compressed at the front pad. The bottom surface of the first groove is formed with a plurality of second grooves continuously extending from the downstream side of the front pad to the air outlet end. The second grooves are spaced from each other in the transverse direction of the head slider.

Abstract: A negative pressure air bearing slider includes a slider body for flying above a surface of a recording disc during relative rotation of the recording disc. First and second projections extend from a lead portion of a principal surface of the slider body to define first and second air bearing surfaces, respectively, the first and second air bearing surfaces being spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction of said slider body. A third U-shaped projection extends from the principal surface and includes a curved front wall portion at least partially located between the first and second projections and first and second side wall portions extending from opposite ends of the curved front wall portion to a rear portion of the principal surface so as to define a rounded negative pressure cavity therein.