Magnetic head slider and a magnetic disk device in which the slider is mounted

A magnetic disk apparatus comprising a magnetic disk;

• a spindle motor for rotating said magnetic disk;
• a magnetic head slider including a magnetic head for recording and reproducing information into/from a surface of said magnetic disk;
• a suspension supporting said magnetic head slider;
• and
• a drive mechanism for pivotally moving said suspension;
• wherein said slider has a pad for flying and for producing a flying force, and said pad for flying includes a flat surface portion and a step surface portion which is formed at an air inflow-side portion of said flying pad and is sufficiently recessed perpendicularly from said flat surface portion;
• and
• wherein said slider has microscopic projections having a height which is one of higher than and substantially equal to a height of said flat surface portion relative to said step surface portion and a diameter which is not less than 0.1 mm.

A magnetic head slider having a magnetic head mounted thereon for recording and reproducing information into/from a surface of a magnetic disk;

• wherein said magnetic head slider flies over the magnetic disk surface through a microscopic film of air, utilizing an air stream produced by rotation of the magnetic disk;
• wherein said slider has a pad for flying and for producing a flying force, and said pad for flying includes a flat surface portion and a step surface portion which is formed at an air inflow-side portion of said flying pad and is sufficiently recessed perpendicularly from said flat surface portion;
• and
• wherein said slider has microscopic projections having a height which is one of higher than and substantially equal to a height of said flat surface portion relative to said step surface portion, and a projection amount from said flat surface portion toward the magnetic disk surface which is less than 40 nm.

A magnetic disk apparatus comprising:

• a magnetic disk;
• a spindle motor for rotating said magnetic disk;
• a magnetic head slider including a magnetic head for recording and reproducing information into/from a surface of said magnetic disk;
• a suspension supporting said magnetic head slider;
• and
• a drive mechanism for pivotally moving said suspension;
• wherein said slider has a pad for flying and for producing a flying force, and said pad for flying includes a flat surface portion and a step surface portion which is formed at an air inflow-side portion of said flying pad and is sufficiently recessed perpendicularly from said flat surface portion;
• and
• wherein said slider has a microscopic projections having a height which is one of higher than and substantially equal to a height of said flat surface portion relative to said step surface portion and a projection amount from said flat surface portion, toward the magnetic disk surface which is less than 40 nm.

A magnetic head slider having a magnetic head mounted thereon for recording and reproducing information into/from a surface of a magnetic disk;

• wherein said magnetic head slider flies over the magnetic disk surface through a microscopic film of air, utilizing an air stream produced by rotation of the magnetic disk;
• wherein said slider has a plurality of pads for flying and for producing a flying force, and each of said plurality of flying pads includes a flat surface portion and a step surface portion which is formed at an air inflow-side portion of said plurality of flying pads and is sufficiently recessed perpendicularly from said flat surface portion;
• wherein two of said plurality of flying pads are respectively provided at opposite side portions of said slider in a widthwise direction of said slider and at the air inflow-side thereof while one of said plurality of flying pads is provided at a central portion of said slider at an air outflow-side thereof;
• and
• wherein a rear step surface is formed at a rear side of each of said two air inflow-side flying pads.

A magnetic disk apparatus comprising:

• a magnetic disk;
• a spindle motor for rotating said magnetic disk;
• a magnetic head slider including a magnetic head for recording and reproducing information into/from a surface of said magnetic disk;
• a suspension supporting said magnetic head slider;
• and
• a drive mechanism for pivotally moving said suspension;
• wherein said slider has a plurality of pads for flying and for producing a flying force, and each of said plurality of flying pads includes a flat surface portion and a step surface portion which is formed at an air inflow-side portion of said plurality of flying pads and is sufficiently recessed perpendicularly from said flat surface portion;
• wherein said slider has microscopic projections having a height which is one of higher than and substantially equal to a height of said flat surface portion relative to said step surface portion and which is not more than 200 nm;
• wherein two of said plurality of flying pads are respectively provided at opposite side portions of said slider in a widthwise direction of said slider and at the air inflow-side thereof while one of said plurality of flying pads is provided at a central portion of said slider at an air outflow-side thereof;
• and
• wherein a rear step surface is formed at a rear side of each of said two air inflow-side flying pads.