Method and apparatus for providing a low cost contact burnish slider

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a low cost contact burnish slider is disclosed that can remain in contact or at the initial low flying heights even as the pad surfaces and leading edges wear. The burnish slider includes a body having a leading edge and a trailing edge and an air bearing surface being configured at the leading edge of the body to cut disk asperities as the slider flies and configured away from the leading edge to maintain a flying attitude wherein the leading edge is near the data recording surface and to provide restoring forces to maintain the flying attitude. The air bearing surface may include a front pad proximal to the leading edge and a rear pad distal to the leading edge. Alternatively, the air bearing surface may include two front pads proximal to the leading edge on opposite sides of the body and two rear pads distal to the leading edge and disposed on opposite sides of the body. The front and rear pad(s) extends substantially across the body of the slider. An offset pivot is provided for constraining the moment balance of the slider to provide a low pitch flying attitude. The rear pad(s) further includes a mechanical taper proximal to the trailing edge to minimize load/unload damage. The air bearing surface configuration away from the leading edge provides a force that restores the flying attitude to the slider when an impulse lifting the leading edge is encountered.