Magnetic head apparatus having magnetic head slider and magnetic disk apparatus equipped with magnetic head apparatus

A magnetic disk apparatus comprising:

• a magnetic disk;
• and
• a magnetic head apparatus comprising:
• a magnetic head slider having a disk-facing surface and a read and/or write magnetic element disposed close to a trailing-side end surface thereof;
• and
• a supporting member elastically supporting the magnetic head slider above a magnetic disk from a side opposite the disk-facing surface,
• wherein the magnetic head slider is elastically supported by the supporting member so as to be pivotal in the pitch direction with a pivotal fulcrum disposed on the supporting member,
• wherein the disk-facing surface has a front half region extending from a leading-side end surface of the magnetic head slider to a phantom line on the disk-facing surface of the magnetic head slider extending in a direction parallel to the trailing-side end surface so as to pass through a phantom point opposite to the pivotal fulcrum of the magnetic head slider, the front half region having a step surface (S1), a positive-pressure generating surface (S2), and a indented surface formed therein from the leading-side end surface toward the trailing-side end surface in that order, wherein the step surface(S1) and the positive-pressure generating surface(S2) protrude more toward the magnetic disk than the indented surface, and wherein the positive-pressure generating surface(S2) protrudes more toward the magnetic disk than the step surface (S1),
• wherein the step surface(S1) extends in the front half region from the leading-side end surface to a leading-side edge of the positive-pressure generating surface (S2), and a surface area ratio S1/S is about 0.180 to about 0.232 and a surface area ratio S1/S2 is about 0.30 to about 0.47, and
• wherein the disk-facing surface has at lease one rod-like projection disposed thereon protruding toward the magnetic disk more than the positive-pressure generating surface,
• wherein the magnetic disk is disposed so as to face the disk-facing surface of the magnetic head slider, and
• wherein a pitch angle θ1 formed by a supporting surface of the magnetic head slider opposite to the disk-facing surface and the surface of the magnetic disk at the moment when the magnetic head slider is just levitated from the magnetic disk is smaller than a pitch angle θx formed by the supporting surface and the surface of the magnetic disk where the magnetic element and the rod-like projection come into contact with the surface of the magnetic disk.

A magnetic head slider configured to be supported above a magnetic disk, the magnetic head slider comprising:

• a body having a leading side and a trailing side and a disk-facing surface extending there between;
• a read/write magnetic element disposed on the disk-facing surface in proximately to the trailing side;
• a support surface of the body opposite the disk-facing surface;
• a pivot point on the support surface and a corresponding phantom point on the disk-facing surface opposite to the pivot point;
• a front surface (S) extending from the leading side to the phantom point, the front surface including a step surface (S1) adjacent to the leading side and a positive-pressure generating surface (S2) adjacent to the step surface (S1),
• wherein a surface area ratio S1/S is about 0.180 to about 0.232 and a surface area ratio S1/S2 is about 0.30 to about 0.47.