Magnetic head slider and magnetic disk drive
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the present invention help to prevent, in a magnetic head slider adapted to be able to control flying height of a head element, the occurrence of excessive frictional force, even in case of contact with a magnetic disk, and suppress vibration of the slider. According to one embodiment, an air bearing surface of a magnetic head slider includes a deep groove, a shallow-trench rail about 100 nm higher than the deep groove, a rear end shoulder, two leading end pads about 1 μm higher than the deep groove, a trailing end pad about 970-995 nm higher than the deep groove, and an element pad about 5-30 nm higher than the trailing end pad and flush with the leading end pads. A head element includes a magnetic head element and a heater. The element pad has an area of 50-500 μm 2 , and the magnetic head element is disposed near a central section of the element pad.
1. A magnetic head slider comprising:
a slider;
a head element formed at an end of the slider, the head element including a heater, a read element, and a write element;
a deep groove;
a leading end side rail higher than the deep groove;
a trailing end side rail higher than the deep groove;
a leading end pad formed on the leading end side rail; and
a trailing end pad formed on the trailing end side rail;
wherein the deep groove, the leading end side rail, the trailing end side rail, the leading end pad, and the trailing end pad are each formed on an air bearing surface which forms part of the slider and the head element, and wherein an element pad is provided on the trailing end pad, the element pad including the read element and the write element, having an area of 50-500 μm2, and being 5-30 nm higher than the trailing end pad.
2. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the element pad is rectangular.
3. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the element pad is circular.
4. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the element pad is elliptical.
5. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the element pad has polygonal corners of a circular arc shape.
6. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the heater is disposed between the slider and the read element or between the write element and the read element.
7. The magnetic head slider according to claim 6 , wherein the element pad, when heated by the heater, protrudes at an inclination angle of 20-100 μrad with respect to a flat surface of the slider.
8. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the heater is disposed between magnetic shields of the read element.
9. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , further comprising a carbon protective film on the element pad.
10. The magnetic head slider according to claim 1 , wherein the leading end pad and the element pad are of the same height.
11. A magnetic disk drive comprising:
a magnetic disk whose surface roughness is equal to or less than 0.25 nm in centerline average roughness Ra; and
a magnetic head slider which includes a slider, a head element formed at an end of the slider, the head element including a heater, a read element, and a write element, a deep groove, a leading end side rail higher than the deep groove, a trailing end side rail higher than the deep groove, a leading end pad formed on the leading end side rail, a trailing end pad formed on the trailing end side rail, and an element pad formed on the trailing end pad;
wherein the deep groove, the leading end side rail, the trailing end side rail, the leading end pad, and the trailing end pad are each formed on an air bearing surface which forms part of the slider and the head element, and wherein the element pad includes the read element and the write element, the element pad having an area of 50-500 μm2 and being 5-30 nm higher than the trailing end pad.