Abstract: A head slider having an air inlet end and an air outlet end includes a rail having a flat air bearing surface for generating floating force when the disk rotates, the rail being disposed on a disk-facing surface; and an electromagnetic transducer disposed near the air outlet end where the rail is positioned. The head slider has a cavity on the air outlet end near the electromagnetic transducer.

Abstract: A head for use in a magnetic hard disk drive or other information storage device includes a novel air bearing surface. The novel air bearing surface includes two leading pads separated by a longitudinal channel, and a trailing pad. The leading pads and trailing pad each include a major surface that lies in a first plane. A side pad, laterally spaced from the trailing pad, includes a major surface that lies in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane but that is offset from the first plane by a shallow recess depth in the range of 0.5 microinches to two microinches. The side pad also includes a major surface that lies in a third plane that is parallel to the second plane but that is offset from the first plane by standard recess depth in the range of three to five microinches.

Abstract: A magnetic head comprises a retrieving unit for converting magnetic information output from a recording medium into an electric signal, a writing unit having the function of electromagnetic conversion for writing the magnetic information in the recording medium in response to the electric signal, and a first protective film formed on the retrieving unit. A second protective film is formed on the first protective film. The coefficient of linear expansion of the second protective film is reduced in comparison with that of the first protective film. Furthermore, the first protective film is an alumina film; in contrast, the second protective film is a film made of an alumina film containing silicon oxide therein.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head supported on an air-bearing slider has a magnetic write pole (WP) with a WP end at the air-bearing surface (ABS) having a width generally equal to the data track width and a trailing shield (TS) with a TS end generally coplanar with the WP end. The TS has a first portion with a width at the TS end substantially wider than the width of the WP end and a TS notch (TSN) portion with a width at the TS end generally equal to the width of the WP end. The TS first portion has a height in a direction perpendicular to the ABS, and the TSN portion has a throat height (TH) in a direction perpendicular to the ABS that is less than the height of the TS first portion. A nonmagnetic gap layer separates the WP from the TSN portion and a nonmagnetic pad layer separates the WP from the TS first portion.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to reduce the resistance variation of the heater provided in order to adjust the flying height of the slider. According to one embodiment, a magnetic head slider has a magnetic read/write device and a heater formed on the trailing end surface of the slider. The heater comprises a heating portion, terminal portions and lead portions. Where a terminal portion overlaps with a lead portion, a diffusion stop film is disposed between them. In addition, a diffusion stop film is disposed between a lead portion and a lower shield seed film (NiFe) under the associated stud. The diffusion stop films and are Ta films with a thickness of 5 nm or preferably at least 10 nm.

Abstract: A slider for magnetic data recording. The slider has an air bearing surface with a trailing edge pad that is configured with a series of recesses that damp slider oscillations during use. The series of recesses formed in the trailing pad of the slider reduce slider oscillations by creating localized pressure gradients within the generally high pressure area over the pad. The slider can be configured with a raised primary pad and a secondary raised pad formed on the primary raised pad. A series of recesses formed in the secondary pad prevent slider oscillations, which would otherwise be especially problematic in a slider having such a secondary raised pad and associated higher pressure area thereover.

Abstract: A head slider arranged opposite to a storage medium, includes: a slider body, an insulating nonmagnetic layer laminated on a trailing edge of the slider body, and a head element embedded in the nonmagnetic film. A front edge of the head element is exposed at a top surface of the rail. A heater embedded in the nonmagnetic film near the head element, causes the head element to bulge at the top surface of the rail. A protection film is laminated on the top surface of the rail, and at least one protrusion is configured to protrude from a surface of the protection film and come close to the storage medium as compared with the top surface of the protection film when the head element bulges. The protrusion is used to determine how much to heat the film to bring the head element as close to the storage medium as possible.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing a suspension gram load to increase head to disk interface reliability for contact recording systems. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension. In addition, a gram load of the suspension is reduced to minimize the friction force during contact of the TE with the disk such that when the TE portion of the slider contacts the disk the bouncing motion of the TE with respect to the disk is reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing an off-center gimbal to increase head to disk interface reliability for contact recording systems. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension. In addition, an off-center gimbal device is coupled with the slider and the suspension away from the center of the slider and closer to the TE portion of the slider such that when the TE portion of the slider contacts a disk a bouncing motion of the TE with respect to the disk is reduced.

Abstract: There are provided a slider and a magnetic disk unit that can significantly reduce a variation in flying height caused by an air pressure change even if the size of the magnetic disk unit or the slider is small.

Abstract: A burnishing head comprises at least two rails, each rail having an inner wall and an outer wall. The outer walls are at an angle relative to one another and relative to a central axis of the burnishing head. This angle permits the burnishing head to exhibit improved recovery time if it contacts a disk being burnished. The rail walls are vertical, and the corner between the rail walls and the top surface of the rails is sharp.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an exemplary method for manufacturing a magnetic head includes forming a plurality of magnetoresistive devices, a reference device, and a monitoring device, where the reference device includes a desired stripe height less than the magnetoresistive devices and monitoring device. Material is removed from the air/tape bearing surface, e.g., by lapping, thereby reducing the stripe height of the magnetoresistive devices and monitoring device. A characteristic of the reference device, e.g., resistance, voltage, or the like, is compared with a similar characteristic of the monitoring device, wherein the characteristic of the monitoring device varies as material is removed. Material may be removed from the bearing surface until the characteristic of the monitoring device and the reference device are substantially equal, at which time, the stripe height of the monitoring device and magnetoresistive devices are substantially equal to that of the reference device.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a flying magnetic head slider includes a step of providing a substrate with a plurality of inductive write head elements formed thereon, each head element having a pair of magnetic poles facing to each other via a magnetic gap, and with a protection layer covering the plurality of inductive write head elements, a step of cutting the substrate to separate into a plurality of bar members, each of the bar members having aligned inductive write head elements, a step of processing the protection layer of each bar member so that a distance from an end edge of the pair of magnetic poles to an edge of a bottom surface of the bar member becomes in a range of 1 to 15 ?m, a step of lapping each bottom surface of the bar member, and cutting each bar member to separate into a plurality of individual magnetic head sliders.

Abstract: A method is used for fabricating sliders for use in a disc drive actuation system, the sliders having bonds pads formed on either a top surface or side faces of the slider. The method comprises providing a substrate having a top surface. Trenches are formed in the substrate and filled with a bond pad material to form slider bond pads. Excess bond pad material is removed from the trenches such that the slider bond pads are flush with the top surface of the substrate. A transducer is fabricated on the top surface of the substrate. Finally, the slider bond pads are exposed.

Abstract: A slider-mounted transducer has an integral wear pad for determining interference between the transducer and a disk surface. The wear pad intensifies interference events during disk drive testing and enables the threshold for slider fly-height to be set at a lower level. This, in turn, improves disk drive reliability during normal operation. The wear pad can be a carbon overlay deposited near the trailing edge of the slider or it can be an un-etched strip of alumina within a recessed region of the slider. The wear pad is substantially worn away during the test period, so it does not affect subsequent operation of the drive.

Abstract: A slider having an advanced air bearing can employ control features that permit control of the flow-field streamline direction and thus enable an indirect mass transfer that flushes any accumulated lubricant out of the advanced air bearing. These control features can be located at the air bearing surface or at any recessed height from the air bearing surface. Moreover, these control features can also dislodge and move locations of flow-field stagnation.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive read/write head having a first layer of alumina and a second layer of silicon dioxide overlaying a P3 layer of the head. In a preferred embodiment, the silicon dioxide layer is recessed away from an Air Bearing Surface (ABS) to reduce protrusion of a P2 layer and the P3 layer in the head, and to reduce degradation in the magnetic properties of the pole tips of the P2 and P3 layer ends.

Abstract: Embodiments include a slider having a silicon body and at least one carbide pad structure embedded therein. At least one head structure for reading and/or writing data is located on the silicon body. The silicon body includes an air bearing surface on which the head is located. The air bearing surface also includes at least a portion of the carbide pad structure thereon. In one aspect, the metal carbide structure may be made from a material such as titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, vanadium carbide, tungsten carbide, or molybdenum carbide. In another aspect, the head may be located on the air bearing surface between carbide pad structures.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension includes a solder ball that is placed between a lead wiring pad provided on a flexure of the suspension, and a bonding pad provided on a slider of a head gimbal section. The lead wiring pad and bonding pad are soldered by melting the solder ball. As a result, there is provided a recessed section into which a solder ball is placed by way of surface raised sections, using gravitational force, in the vicinity of the center line of the surface of the lead wiring pad. In this way the position of the solder ball is not displaced from the center line when a bonding pad and lead wiring pad are connected by means of a solder ball.

Abstract: The present invention is an object to provide an apparatus or a method making it possible to easily effect connection between additional electrodes, etc. and lead electrodes when performing a processing for achieving a predetermined throat height value or crown processing or the like and making it possible to measure the requisite lapping amount. For achieving the object, a flexible electrode extension sheet is used which consists of a portion for retaining a ceramic bar in which element portions are formed and a portion where there are formed wirings respectively in correspondence with the elements and adapted to be connected to these elements, in which these wirings, which can be easily connected to an external measurement system, are electrically connected to the elements, whereby the lapping amount is easily obtained from the characteristic amount of the elements in the lapping process.

Abstract: An air bearing burnish slider burnishes very small asperities and cleans the loose particles that adhere to the magnetic recording media. The slider applies a controllable contact force to effectively burnish disk asperities or partially attached particles. In addition, the slider cleans the loose particles effectively while flying in a stable fashion. In a low pitch design, diagonal rails push particles away from the disk surface and trailing edge pads contact the disk at lower linear velocities. Rail pads retain loose contamination and debris in their pockets and burnish asperities. Another design provides a milder burnish force and flies in a high pitch configuration. The trailing edge pads provide stable contacts and the rails help in sweeping away debris. In both designs, the contact forces can be controlled by adjusting linear velocities. A step taper at the leading edge provides a pitch-producing lift force.

Abstract: A converter that records or reproduces information to or from a recording medium while making a movement relative to the recording medium is mounted on a slider. The slider has at least a pair of openings on a side face thereof, and airflow generated by the movement relative to the recording medium flows in via one of the paired openings, passes in a vicinity of a surface of the converter other than a surface thereof facing the recording medium, and thereafter flows out via the other one of the paired openings. With this, the ability to cool the converter is improved.

Abstract: An MR head includes a slider, and a film structure part which is located on an air outflow side of the slider and includes an MR element for reproducing. The film structure part has an end surface located on an identical side as a floating surface of the slider. The end surface of the film structure part and the floating surface of the slider form a step-like recess which has a depth making it possible to prevent a fine projection on a magnetic disk from hitting the end surface of the film structure part.

Abstract: A process is described for fabricating magnetic transducers with metallic thin films with a corrosion resistant surface produced by exposing the thin films to a nitrogen in a plasma chamber. The exposure to the nitrogen is believed to increase the corrosion resistance of the metallic thin films by causing nitrides to form in a thin surface region. In the preferred embodiment the thin film metals of a magnetic transducer are treated with the nitrogen after being cut from the wafer and lapped. Typical metals used in magnetic transducers are NiMn, FeMn, NiFe, cobalt, CoFe, copper, IrMn and PtMn. The films may be further protected by the addition of prior art protective layers such as carbon.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension includes a solder ball that is placed between a lead wiring pad provided on a flexure of the suspension, and a bonding pad provided on a slider of a head gimbal section. The lead wiring pad and bonding pad are soldered by melting the solder ball. As a result, there is provided a recessed section into which a solder ball is placed by way of surface raised sections, using gravitational force, in the vicinity of the center line of the surface of the lead wiring pad. In this way the position of the solder ball is not displaced from the center line when a bonding pad and lead wiring pad are connected by means of a solder ball.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension includes a solder ball that is placed between a lead wiring pad provided on a flexure of the suspension, and a bonding pad provided on a slider of a head gimbal section. The lead wiring pad and bonding pad are soldered by melting the solder ball. As a result, there is provided a recessed section into which a solder ball is placed by way of surface raised sections, using gravitational force, in the vicinity of the center line of the surface of the lead wiring pad. In this way the position of the solder ball is not displaced from the center line when a bonding pad and lead wiring pad are connected by means of a solder ball.

Abstract: The present invention is an object to provide an apparatus or a method making it possible to easily effect connection between additional electrodes, etc. and lead electrodes when performing a processing for achieving a predetermined throat height value or crown processing or the like and making it possible to measure the requisite lapping amount. For achieving the object, a flexible electrode extension sheet is used which consists of a portion for retaining a ceramic bar in which element portions are formed and a portion where there are formed wirings respectively in correspondence with the elements and adapted to be connected to these elements, in which these wirings, which can be easily connected to an external measurement system, are electrically connected to the elements, whereby the lapping amount is easily obtained from the characteristic amount of the elements in the lapping process.

Abstract: A head for a disc drive and a method of making the head. The head includes a substrate with a trailing side and a first air bearing surface that generates lift. A magnetic transducer is deposited along the trailing side and has a pole tip that is spaced apart from a disc by a pole-to-disc spacing. The head also includes a deposit along the trailing side. The deposit includes a second air bearing surface that changes position relative to the first air bearing surface as temperature increases.

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: An optical-pickup slider is characterized in that a light-transmitting-property substrate is bonded to a surface of a layer having a tapered through hole, on which surface a larger opening of the tapered through hole exists. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the layer having an aperture from being destroyed. A method of manufacturing the optical-pickup slider comprises the steps of a) making a tapered through hole in a layer layered on a first substrate and having a thickness smaller than that of the first substrate; and, after bonding a light-transmitting-property substrate to a surface of the layer, removing the first substrate so as to expose an aperture at a tip of the tapered through hole.

Abstract: Protrusion of head elements to an air bearing surface is effectively reduced and their contact with a recording medium is thereby prevented by forming a level gap (concave) of about 3 nm in a multilayered protective film on the air bearing surface in a part matching an inductive write thin film head in a recording/reproducing separated type magnetic head and thereby offsetting protrusion of the head elements to the air bearing surface due to thermal deformation of the heads.

Abstract: A slider includes a slider body having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge, a second side edge and a center line extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, which define a disc-facing surface having a bearing plane. A protrusion is positioned on the disc-facing surface along the first side edge and has a protrusion surface. The protrusion surface is tilted with respect to the bearing plane about the center line and towards the first side edge.

Abstract: A head slider that includes a substrate having a leading surface, a trailing surface, first and second side edges, a back surface and a disc-facing surface opposite the back surface is provided. The disc-facing surface includes a bearing plane and a recessed area recessed from the bearing plane. An end layer is attached to the trailing surface of the substrate. The end layer includes a bearing pad formed substantially solely on the end layer that is generally parallel to the bearing plane. The bearing pad is positioned adjacent to and rearward of the recessed area to receive fluid flow from the recessed area.

Abstract: The head of a disk drive has write elements disposed on one protrusion pad that wears away during initial operation to permit reduced tolerances and, thus, reduced spacing between the disk and head, with the read element being disposed on a separate protrusion pad and spaced from the write element pad in the radial dimension. This prevents read element recession during cooling in the absence of write current that could otherwise occur if the read element were located on the same pad as the write head.

Abstract: A micro-actuator is comprised of a piezoelectric motor mounted on a flexure tongue with offsetting hinges, to perform a fine positioning of the magnetic read/write head. The substantial gain in the frequency response greatly improves the performance and accuracy of the track-follow control for fine positioning. The simplicity of the enhanced micro-actuator design results in a manufacturing efficiency that enables a high-volume, low-cost production. The micro-actuator is interposed between a flexure tongue and a slider to perform an active control of the fly height of the magnetic read/write head. The induced slider crown and camber are used to compensate for thermal expansion of the magnetic read/write head, which causes the slider to be displaced at an unintended fly height position relative to the surface of the magnetic recording disk. The enhanced micro-actuator design results in reduced altitude sensitivity, ABS tolerances, and reduced stiction.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a slider and an electromagnetic conversion element. The slider includes a base, a protective film and a medium opposing surface along a long direction of the magnetic head. The protective film is provided on a side surface of the base so as to be integrated with the base. The electromagnetic conversion element is provided on the side surface of the base, and covered with the protective film. A distance ?1 between the electromagnetic conversion element and a medium contacting edge of the protective film is set within 50-200 ?m.

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 a 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 method of fabricating a magnetic read/write head and slider assembly, wherein the assembly has improved heat spreading and dissipation properties and the read/write head exhibits significantly reduced thermal protrusion during operation. The method of fabrication is simple and efficient, involving only the extension of at least one of the conductive mounting pads so that it is in thermal contact with a portion of the slider surface that is directly above the read/write element.

Abstract: A protection film is layered over the trailing or outflow end surface of a slider body in a head slider for a recording medium drive. A head element is embedded within the protection film. The head element generates heat in response to the supply of an electric current. The heat causes thermal expansion of the protection film. The tip end of the head element thus excessively approaches the recording disk beyond the medium-opposed surface of the head slider. The flying height of a protection protuberance is set smaller than a flying height of the head element even when the protection film suffers from thermal expansion. The protection protuberance is allowed to trace an orbit closer to the recording medium than the orbit of the head element. The protection protuberance is allowed to collide against obstacles on the recording medium in front of the head element.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension includes a solder ball that is placed between a lead wiring pad provided on a flexure of the suspension, and a bonding pad provided on a slider of a head gimbal section. The lead wiring pad and bonding pad are soldered by melting the solder ball. As a result, there is provided a recessed section into which a solder ball is placed by way of surface raised sections, using gravitational force, in the vicinity of the center line of the surface of the lead wiring pad. In this way the position of the solder ball is not displaced from the center line when a bonding pad and lead wiring pad are connected by means of a solder ball.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are storage device sliders incorporatig thin-film sensors and wear resistant extensions. Also disclosed herein are data storage devices and assemblies utilizing those sliders. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims.

Abstract: A slider head assembly is provided which includes a slider head for reading/writing data on the surface of a rotating disc. The slider head is disposed in spaced relationship with respect to the disc for read/write (R/W) operations. The slider head assembly is comprised of a body portion having an essentially planar surface positioned to co-act with the surface of the disc with a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end or trailing slider surface of the head assembly has a read/write element thereat. The distal end or leading slider surface of the assembly has an actuation device mounted thereon, having a surface the position of which can be modified by an external signal to change the position of the head with respect to the planar or air bearing surface (ABS) of the head assembly. This will change the characteristics of the boundary layer of air between the rotating disc and the head, causing the head assembly to move closer to or farther from the rotating disc when actuated by the external signal.

Abstract: A disc head slider has a disc facing surface with a leading slider edge and a trailing slider edge. A primary bearing feature is formed on the disc facing surface forward of the trailing slider edge and has a bearing surface. A plurality of pads is formed on the disc facing surface between the primary bearing feature and the trailing slider edge. Each of the pads has an upper surface that is discrete from the upper surfaces of the other pads. An airflow barrier wall is positioned adjacent the plurality of pads to at least partially shield the plurality of pads from airflow from the primary bearing feature.

Abstract: A slider body configuration, or slider, for carrying a data transducer in cooperative relationship with a rotating data storage disc. The slider includes a plurality of landing pads which serve to minimize the contact area between the slider and the discs when the heads are parked in contact with the discs, and the landing pads project from surfaces which are farther removed from the disc surface than the air bearing surfaces, thus minimizing the size and strength of any liquid miniscus formed between the slider and the disc when the slider and disc are in contact. By recessing the bases of the landing pads from the air bearing surfaces, the effect of the landing pads on the separation between the data transducer and the discs is minimized.

Abstract: In a magnetic head, a head element and bumps connected thereto are formed on one end face of a slider substrate, and an insulating film is formed on the other end face opposite from the one end face. Therefore, even when the slider is electrically charged, the other end face thereof does not contact bumps formed in another slider substrate, and charges of the slider substrate will not move into the bumps. This prevents the slider substrate from electrostatic damage.

Abstract: An angle &thgr;1 made between a supporting surface S of a slider and an imaginary plane C in which a first border line and a second border line of a tapered surface lie, and an angle &thgr;2 made between the supporting surface S of the slider and an imaginary plane D in which a first border line and a second border line of a tapered surface lie, respectively fall within a range of not less than 5 degrees but not more than 14 degrees.

Abstract: A head for a data storage device including a textured close point or transition region having a suitable wear rate to provide a self-adjusting fly height interface. The textured transition enables transition to a fly regime of operation for a contact regime slider to limit head crash or loss.

Abstract: A disc drive slider has one or more bars with dull ends as a protection feature to prevent contact between peripheral edges of an air bearing surface and a disc surface when the slider is misaligned with the disc surface. The dull ends can be formed by a process of undercutting a resist layer during etching.

Abstract: A glide head includes two rails that run from the leading end to the trailing end of the glide head and a transverse contact rail that is orientated orthogonally to the two rails and is located at the trailing end of the glide head. The two rails may contact the transverse contact rail or one or both may not extend to the transverse contact rail. In addition, the channel region defined between the two rails and the wing, if used, may be tapered so that they merge with the bottom surface of the transverse contact rail. The transverse contact rail may extend beyond the two rails. The glide head flies with a positive pitch which causes the transverse contact rail to be the closest area on the glide head to the surface of a rotating disk being tested. Thus, the mechanical energy is greatest when the transverse contact rail contacts a defect on a disk, and thus the transverse contact rail is the active rail.

Abstract: A disc head slider includes a slider body having a leading slider edge, a trailing slider edge and a slider length measured from the leading slider edge to the trailing slider edge. First and second raised rails are positioned on the slider body, which have first and second bearing surfaces, respectively. A recessed area is positioned between the first and second side rails and has a recess floor. A first raised pad is positioned rearward of a midpoint along the slider length and includes a third bearing surface, which is generally coplanar with the first and second bearing surfaces. A convergent channel is recessed within the third bearing surface and trails a portion of the recessed area. The convergent channel includes a leading channel end open to fluid flow from the portion of the recessed area, non-divergent channel side walls and a trailing channel end closed to the fluid flow and forward of a localized region of the third bearing surface.