Magnetic head air bearing design with island blocker for smear mitigation

A slider for a data storage device, the slider having an air-bearing surface (ABS) that includes at least three levels, the at least three levels including a media-adjacent level, a first recessed level, and a second recessed level, wherein, in an orientation in which the ABS is oriented upward, the media-adjacent level is above the first recessed level, and the first recessed level is above the second recessed level, the slider comprising:

• a trailing pad comprising a recording head, an outer surface, and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface is at the media-adjacent level and the inner surface is at the first recessed level;
• a hole in the inner surface of the trailing pad, wherein a bottom surface of the hole is at the second recessed level;
• and
• an island blocker situated within the hole, wherein a media-facing surface of the island blocker is at the media-adjacent level,
• wherein the recording head is situated between the island blocker and a trailing edge of the slider.