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AssigneeHitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
InventorsWalton Fong, Donald Ray Gillis, Bernhard E. Knigge, Remmelt Pit, Mike Suk
Estimating the term…
A method for measuring the clearance of a slider over a rotating disk by inducing a collision between the slider and the disk is described. After the normal flying height of the slider is established, the slider is driven into a collision with the rotating disk surface by applying a DC or AC voltage between the slider and the disk. The clearance data can be extracted from the induced collision by measuring a parameter, such as the change in the amplitude of the readback signal from the magnetic sensor, which is related to fly-height at the normal fly-height and at the disk surface. The two data points can then be used to derive the clearance. One embodiment uses a single beam interferometer to derive the vibrational displacement of the collision event.
A method of measuring a clearance separating a surface of a disk and a slider comprising the steps of:
A disk drive comprising:
A method of measuring a clearance between a slider and a magnetic disk comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.