Head slider having protruding head element and apparatus for determining protrusion amount of head element

A storage medium drive comprising:

• a head slider having a medium-opposed surface opposed to a storage medium, the medium-opposed surface defining first and second areas extending side by side from an inflow end to an outflow end;
• an insulating non-magnetic film overlaid on an outflow end surface of the head slider;
• a head element embedded in the insulating non-magnetic film, said head element at least locating a write gap in a first section defined in the insulating non-magnetic film in the first area;
• a first actuator embedded in the insulating non-magnetic film in the first area, said first actuator causing the first section of the insulating non-magnetic film to protrude;
• and
• a second actuator embedded in the insulating non-magnetic film in the second area, said second actuator causing a second section of the insulating non-magnetic film to protrude.

A determination apparatus for determining protrusion amount of a head element, comprising:

• a controlling section designed to cause a non-magnetic film of a head slider to protrude without causing a protrusion of a head element embedded in the non-magnetic film;
• a detection section designed to detect contact between the non-magnetic film and a storage medium in response to increase in a protrusion amount of the non-magnetic film;
• and
• a determination section designed to determine a protrusion amount of the head element based on a protrusion amount of the non-magnetic film during the contact.