Detecting contact between a slider and a data storage medium without a seperate contact-detection voltage source

A circuit comprising:

• a slider;
• a data storage medium;
• and
• a contact detection circuit electrically coupled to the slider, which is electrically coupled to a suspension, and to the data storage medium, the contact detection circuit is configured to detect an electrical current indicative of contact between the slider and the data storage medium and responsively provide a contact detection output, wherein the electrical current is produced without the application of a separate voltage between the slider and the data storage medium.

A circuit comprising:

• a slider having a contact feature, which is an electrically conductive region of the slider that faces a data storage medium;
• a contact detection circuit;
• and
• an interconnect that electrically couples the contact feature of the slider to the contact detection circuit without a trace for direct electrical connection between a substrate of the slider and a ground of the contact detection circuit.