Air bearing surface design for glide testing of plastic media

Abstract

A slider which utilizes a set of four pads arranged in a generally rectangular form. The two pads on the leading edge of the slider each include an angled face on their leading edge to facilitate the lift-off of the slider. Behind each leading edge pad is a trailing pad of substantially the same width and separated from the leading pad by a cross-cut channel. The pressure relief provided by the open cross-slot that separates the front and rear pads of each rail of the slider significantly reduces the sensitivity of air bearing pressure to the shape of the disc surface, leading to a very small fly height modulation even when moving over a disc with substantial runout. The rails are separated by a cross-cut. This cross-cut design substantially diminishes the effect of pressure variations which occur owing to the peaks and valleys which exist on discs, especially plastic discs as the slider flies over the surface of the disc.