Tdk Corporation

Takamitsu Kamimura

Masao Yamaguchi

Kanji Kobayashi

Kenji Yumoto

Masato Sugahara

In testing thin-film magnetic heads, first, a back surface opposite to a medium facing surface of each of a plurality of thin-film magnetic heads is attached to a first surface of a first plate of a jig, the jig including the first plate of rubber having the first and second surfaces facing toward opposite directions, and a second plate greater in rigidity than the first plate and bonded to the second surface of the first plate. Next, the plurality of thin-film magnetic heads and the jig are mounted on a metal plate having a flat top surface, such that the medium facing surfaces of the thin-film magnetic heads touch the top surface of the metal plate. Next, heat-generating components of the plurality of thin-film magnetic heads mounted on the metal plate are energized.

Testing method for thin-film magnetic head and jig used therefor

At the time of polishing an air bearing surface 12 the edge of the air bearing surface 12 is simultaneously beveled to form edge surfaces 14. The air bearing surface 12 is preferably constituted as a flat planar surface 121 having a tapered surface 122 continuous therewith at the air inflow end. In this case, defining the bevel width in regions IV located at the edge surfaces 14 at opposite sides in a direction perpendicular to the air inflow direction and extending in the vicinity of a ridge portion 131 between the central flat planar surface 121 and the tapered inflow end surface 122 and the bevel width in regions II located ahead of an interface 171 between the slider 1 and a thin-film transducer element 17 as I.sub.4 and I.sub.2 respectively, the bevel width of an air inflow end edge surface 14 (region V) continuous with the tapered inflow end surface 122 as I.sub.5 and the bevel width of opposite side edge surfaces 14 (region III) continuous with the central flat planar surface 121 as I.sub.3, (I.sub.4 -I.sub.5)/I.sub.5 is restricted to not more than 0.4, (I.sub.3 -I.sub.2)/I.sub.3 is restricted to not more than 0.2, the bevel width of all edge surfaces 14 is restricted to 4-20 .mu.m, or the bevel width range R thereof is restricted to not more than 5 .mu.m. By in this way restricting the bevel width of the edge surfaces 14 over the entire perimeter of the air bearing surface 12 so as to be highly uniform, there are realized marked improvements in flying stability, particularly a reduction in the variation in roll angle in the flying attitude.

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Tokyo, Japan

Takamitsu Kamimura