JP3517673B2 - Slider and rotary disk recorder - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates relates to a magnetic disk device, slider及 beauty rotating disk storage device to travel to that Symbol憶媒upper body surface such as a magneto-optical device floats in small flying height, especially linear , Regardless of rotary type access mechanism, slider
Generally relates to slider及 beauty rotating disk storage device capable of a constant flying height at any radial position in the serial憶媒of.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a magnetic recording apparatus for reading information written on a magnetic recording medium or writing information on the magnetic recording medium, a gap between a magnetic transducer and a recording surface of the magnetic recording medium is kept narrow. Therefore, it is widely known that a slider (slider) including a magnetic converter is levitated on a magnetic recording medium by an air bearing.

In this type of magnetic recording apparatus, as one measure for levitating the slider on the magnetic recording medium, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-245480, the surface of the slider facing the magnetic recording medium is A gas bearing rail that constitutes a positive pressure generating portion that generates positive pressure and a dent portion that constitutes a negative pressure generating portion that generates negative pressure are provided, and the negative pressure suction force generated by the dent portion is applied to the slider by a magnetic force. There has been proposed a negative pressure type slider that acts as a load pressed against the recording medium side.

As another measure, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-101
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 688, between a side gas bearing rail forming a positive pressure generating portion for generating a positive pressure on a surface of the slider facing the magnetic recording medium, and between the side gas bearing rails. A positive pressure type slider has been proposed in which a central gas bearing rail is provided and a taper portion is formed on the gas inflow side of each rail, and positive pressure is generated by each rail. .

[0005]

In recent years, magnetic storage devices have tended to be smaller and have larger capacities. One of the means for realizing this is to increase the recording capacity per unit area, that is, the areal storage density. In particular, in order to increase the linear density, it is necessary to narrow the flying height of the slider, and it is necessary to apply vibration during seek, which is the moving operation of the magnetic transducer from the track on the magnetic recording medium to another track, and the magnetic recording. It is necessary to suppress the fluctuation of the flying height of the slider against various disturbances such as vibration due to the waviness of the medium.

In response to such demands, in order to downsize the magnetic disk device and reduce the flying height of the slider, the slider tends to be made smaller and smaller, and the most common slider length at present is almost the same. The width is about 2 mm and the width is about 1.5 mm. Depending on the usage of the magnetic storage device, the number of rotations of the magnetic recording medium is 3500 rpm to 72 rpm.
Over a wide range of 00 rpm, the peripheral speed of the magnetic recording medium over a wide range of 5 m / s to 40 m / s.

In such a situation, when the slider is constructed as the negative pressure utilizing type described above, the negative pressure generated by the negative pressure generating portion formed on the slider increases substantially in proportion to the area of the negative pressure generating portion. However, due to the downsizing of the slider described above, the area of the negative pressure generating portion cannot be sufficiently secured. As a result, although the positive pressure generating portion and the negative pressure generating portion are finely processed on the slider, the negative pressure cannot be fully utilized, and the slider can be made to have a low flying height and a constant flying height. Is difficult.

Further, when the slider is constructed to use the above-mentioned positive pressure, a positive pressure rise occurs in the taper portion provided on the gas inflow side of the slider and the subsequent gas bearing rail. The increase in positive pressure increases in proportion to the rotation speed of the magnetic recording medium. Especially, on the inner and outer circumferences of the magnetic recording medium,
As described above, the peripheral speed difference is approximately doubled, and the flying height increases accordingly. For example, the inner peripheral velocity of the magnetic recording medium is 20
At m / s, the outer peripheral speed is 1.6 times the inner peripheral flying height, and when the inner peripheral speed is 10 m / s, the outer peripheral speed is 1.8 times the inner peripheral flying height. The lower the speed, the greater the tendency. Therefore, as mentioned above,
When the positive pressure type is used, the velocity characteristics of the air flowing into the slider greatly change between the inner circumference and the outer circumference of the magnetic recording medium, so that the slider cannot be levitated above the magnetic recording medium.

Based on the above background, whether the slider should be of negative pressure type or positive pressure type,
At present, various studies have been made. This is because the slider levitation characteristics deviate from the levitation characteristics obtained by the Reynolds equation as the slider becomes smaller and its flying height becomes lower, and it is not possible to fully grasp the behavior of the molecules of the gas flowing through the minute gap. This is because

As described above, there is a demand for a slider which can cope with the increase in recording capacity due to the miniaturization and high density of the slider and the constant flying height corresponding to the peripheral velocity range of the magnetic recording medium. .

An object of the present invention is that the flying speed characteristics of the slider are excellent, the flying height at an arbitrary position on the magnetic recording medium is made substantially constant, and it is suitable for a low flying height that suppresses the flying height fluctuation and stabilizes the flying height. An object is to provide a slider, a slider support device, and a magnetic storage device.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, a slider of the present invention comprises a head for reading / writing information on a recording medium, and a bearing formed on a surface facing the storage medium to generate a positive pressure. comprising a surface, and a recess for generating a negative pressure is formed on a surface opposing to the storage medium, the depth from the bearing surface provided on the air inflow side of the bearing surface and a shallow flat portion than 0.5 [mu] m, the The total length is 2 mm or less .

Further, the slider of the present invention has a head for reading / writing information on a recording medium, a concave portion formed on the air inflow side of the head for generating a negative pressure, and a positive pressure formed so as to surround the concave portion. And a flat surface portion provided on the air inflow side of the bearing surface and having a depth from the bearing surface of less than 0.3 μm.

The rotary disk storage device of the present invention is
A recording medium for recording data, a motor for driving the recording medium to rotate, a slider having a head for reading / writing information on the recording medium, a suspension for instructing the slider, and positioning of the slider connected to the suspension. The slider is provided with a positioning mechanism for operating the storage medium, and the slider has a bearing surface formed on a surface facing the storage medium and generating a positive pressure, and a recess formed on the surface facing the storage medium and generating a negative pressure. When the depth from the bearing surface on the air inflow side of the bearing surface and a shallow flat portion than 0.5 [mu] m, its
Is less than 2 mm .

And preferably, from the bearing surface of the flat portion
The depth you shallower than 0.3μm.

[0016]

With the rotation of the storage medium, the gas flow intrudes into the wedge-shaped clearance of the slider, which becomes narrower toward the gas outflow end side, and a positive pressure is generated. As a result, the slider floats above the storage medium. For the flat surface provided on the gas inflow side of the slider's gas bearing part and the subsequent gas bearing surface, the pressure generated at the portion where the gap sharply shrinks from the gas inflow side is in the region where the velocity of the recording medium is slow due to the effect of compressibility. It has a large characteristic that an increase in generated pressure can be suppressed on the high speed side. As a result, a large load is generated at a low speed and an increase in the load is limited at a high speed, so that the flying speed characteristic of the slider can be adjusted. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an excellent flying speed characteristic that allows the change of the flying height from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the storage medium to be substantially constant. As a result, the MR head can be effectively used, and CDR (Constant De
nity Recording) recording can be enabled,
The areal recording density can be improved and the capacity can be increased.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 60 is a perspective view showing a partial sectional view of a rotary disk storage device equipped with an embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In FIG. 60, a storage medium 41 is stacked on a shaft, It is driven to rotate by a motor connected to. The slider 12 is equipped with a transducer (magnetic converter) 11 for reading data recorded on the surface of the storage medium 41 or writing data on the storage medium 41. The slider 12 is supported by a suspension device 42. The suspension device 42 is connected to a positioning mechanism 44. In this example, the positioning mechanism 44 has a structure that oscillates about a rotation axis, and a drive unit 45 such as a voice coil motor provided on the opposite side of the suspension device 42 moves the slider 12 in the radial direction of the storage medium 41. , To position. This format is called the rotary access method.

The recording medium 41, the slider 12, the suspension device 42, the positioning mechanism 44 and the drive unit 4 described above.
5 and the like are stored in a clean cover 46.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the slider 12
The gas bearing surface 13 is provided on the surface facing the rotating storage medium.
Are formed. The gas bearing surface 13 has a surface 14 depressed toward the gas inflow end side by the step portion 16 with respect to the gas bearing surface 13, and a flat surface portion 15 for generating the remaining positive pressure of the gas bearing surface.
It has and. There is one rail on the gas bearing surface in this example, which is a monorail structure.

The above-mentioned surface 14, step 16 and plane 1
Reference numeral 5 constitutes a step bearing called a fluid bearing. The transducer 11 is mounted on the rear end of the flat portion 15.

The depth of the step portion 16 described above, that is, the step depth is selected to be less than 700 nm. The transducer 11 in this embodiment has a reproducing head, an MR head,
It is a composite magnetic head that uses a thin film head as a write head. Or just a thin film head or MIG
Of course, a head such as a (Metal In Gap) head may be used.

The gas bearing operation of the slider 12 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

In the slider 12, the air flow accompanying the rotation of the recording medium (not shown) and the slider 1 are caused by the viscosity of the recording medium.
2 is drawn into the minute clearance to generate pressure, and the slider 1
In Fig. 2, the clearance at the gas outflow end is small and the surface floats with a wedge-shaped clearance distribution.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the pressure distribution generated on the gas bearing surface 13 of the slider 12 of the present invention. Flying height,
The pressure distribution at the center of the gas bearing surface 13 in the width direction when the floating posture is kept constant is shown with the peripheral velocity U of the recording medium as a parameter.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view showing the pressure distribution on the step surface portion of the slider 12 of FIG. As an example, a case where the length of the slider 12 is set to about 1 mm, the depth of the surface 14 is set to 100 nm, the flying height h2 of the gas outflow end of the slider 12 is set to 60 nm, and the flying height of the gas inflow side is set to about three times the flying height h2 is shown.

The air flow first enters the surface 14 provided on the gas inflow side of the slider 12 forming the wedge-shaped gap, is compressed, and the pressure is increased. Further, after a large pressure rise due to the rapid reduction of the gap from the step portion 16 to the plane portion 15, the pressure continuously rises in the plane portion 15, reaches the gas outflow end of the slider 12, and returns to the atmospheric pressure.

According to the present embodiment, the pressure distribution on the surface 14 having a depth as small as 100 nm causes a pressure increase immediately from the gas inflow end of the surface 14 at low velocity as shown in FIG.
As the gas velocity increases, the increase in pressure moves backward due to the influence of compressibility, and the pressure on the surface 14 decreases. Further, the pressure increase at the sharp reduction portion of the gap between the step portion 16 and the flat surface portion 15 and the subsequent pressure increase can be made substantially constant regardless of the speed. The above-mentioned generated load characteristic depends largely on the depth of the surface 14, and is due to the fact that the depth of the surface 14 is selected to be small.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the depth of the surface 14 of the slider of the present invention and the generated load with the peripheral velocity U of the recording medium as a parameter. The horizontal axis of FIG. 4 indicates the depth of the surface 14. The vertical axis represents the generated load load standardized by the maximum value of the speed of 10 m / s. At each speed, there is a depth of the surface 14 that shows the maximum load, and the depth of the surface 14 that shows the maximum load is larger as shown by the envelope A of the maximum load. Move to the deeper side. Also,
Looking at the change in the applied load with respect to the change in speed, on the right side of the envelope A, that is, on the side where the depth of the surface 14 is large, the increase of the applied load on the high speed side is large, and at the depth of several μm or more of the surface 14, The pressure generated at the step surface portion 16 almost disappears, and the characteristic is shown when the gas bearing surface is a flat plate, while the left side of the envelope A, that is, the side where the depth of the surface 14 is small, is a low load load. Is generated greatly and the increase at high speed is suppressed. This tendency is more remarkable as the depth of the surface 14 is smaller.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the depth of the surface 14 showing the maximum load and the speed U of the recording medium. As is clear from this figure, as the speed U increases, the depth of the surface 14 showing the maximum load becomes constant, and approaches the approximate depth of 700 nm. This characteristic is that the flying height h at the gas outflow end of the slider 12
It has been confirmed that the same is true when 2 is 100 nm, and it holds in a wide flying height range. This characteristic is realized in a region where the depth of the surface 14 is less than 700 nm, and becomes more remarkable as the depth of the surface 14 is smaller. Further, by selecting the depth of the surface 14 to be smaller than the depth of the surface 14 showing the maximum load at the speed of the inner peripheral position of the recording medium, the above-mentioned characteristics can be obtained.

As described above, the slider of the present invention can suppress the change in generated pressure with respect to the change in speed of the recording medium to be small. That is, the change in the applied load can be almost eliminated, and the flying height with respect to the change in the speed of the recording medium can be made substantially constant.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the floating velocity characteristics of the slider of the present invention. In this diagram, the velocity U of the recording medium D is 12.5 m / s, and the flying amount h2 of the slider 12 at the gas outflow end. An example of the characteristics when is 60 nm is shown. The conventional taper flat slider, which is widely used at present, has a characteristic that the flying height h2 increases as the velocity U increases, as indicated by B in the figure. In the conventional slider with steps having a large step depth of 1 μm,
As indicated by C in the figure, the flying height h with respect to the increase in the velocity U
The increase of 2 is larger than that of the conventional taper flat slider, and the flying speed characteristic of the slider cannot be improved.

On the other hand, according to the present invention, E in FIG.
6, the depth g of the surface 14 is set to be smaller than 700 nm (here, the depth g is set to 100 nm), so that the speed of the recording medium D is increased as indicated by E in FIG. Even if U reaches a target flying height at a low speed and the speed U of the recording medium D reaches a high speed, the flying height h of the slider h
It is possible to obtain the characteristic that 2 does not change.

As another advantage of the present invention, by using the slider in a linear access type storage device, the present invention makes it possible to make the flying height of a recording medium substantially constant at any radial position.

The surface 14 can be processed with high precision by non-machining such as ion milling. Further, it is possible to realize a constant flying height characteristic without using negative pressure, simplify the air bearing surface shape, and significantly reduce the number of factors of processing variations. As a result, it is possible to significantly reduce the change in the flying height due to variations in processing, and it is possible to achieve high reliability by reducing the flying height.

The above-mentioned non-machining and simplification of the air bearing surface shape enable the slider to be miniaturized at the same time. As a result, the flying height variation can be reduced, the number of sliders that can be taken from the same wafer can be increased, and the cost can be reduced. effective.

Further, according to the present invention, since the gas bearing surface can be processed by non-machining such as ion milling, a slider for forming the transducer and the gas bearing surface on the air bearing surface of the slider using a semiconductor manufacturing process, Further, the slider and the suspension supporting the slider can be integrally formed.

Further, as compared with the prior art, the slider can be lifted up at a low speed of the recording medium, and the slider slides on the recording medium at the time of contact, start and stop (CSS). The moving distance can be shortened, sliding damage between the slider and the recording medium can be reduced, sliding dust can be prevented, and reliability can be improved.

Further, since there is a pressure increase on the surface 14,
The pitch rigidity of the slider in the front-rear direction can be made larger than that of the flat plate type slider, and the fluctuation in the flying height due to the vibration during the access operation can be suppressed.

Further, as compared with the conventional taper flat type slider, the clearance at the gas inflow end of the slider is small, and dust or foreign matter which may enter between the slider and the recording medium due to the rotation of the recording medium, or on the recording medium. It is possible to avoid the loss or crash of recorded information due to the intrusion of dirt and dust.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the characteristics of the width of the gas bearing rail and the peripheral velocity U of the recording medium in the first embodiment of the slider of the present invention. The width LR of the gas bearing rail is the length l
By changing with respect to x, the change of the flying height h2 with respect to the speed U also changes, and the wider the rail width LR, the better the flying characteristics of the slider flying. When the rail width LR is large, the influence of the side flow in which the inflowing gas flows out to the side of the slider can be suppressed from low speed to high speed of the recording medium, but when the gas bearing rail width LR is too narrow, In the flat portion 15 following 14, the side flow at a low speed of the recording medium is largely generated, the pressure is reduced, the effect of the present invention is reduced, and the flying height is reduced.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view for explaining the gas bearing rail width of the slider of the present invention and the flying smoothness of the slider with respect to the recording medium. In this figure, the horizontal axis represents the ratio of the gas bearing rail width and length of the slider, and the vertical axis represents the flying smoothness η of the slider with respect to the recording medium. The flying smoothness η _{1 in} this figure is ₁ when the velocity of the recording medium is 20 m / s and the velocity of the recording medium is 1 with respect to the flying height h2 at the gas outflow end of the slider.
Flying height h2 at the gas outflow end of the slider at 0 m / s
And η ₂ is the recording medium speed of 30 m / s
The ratio of the flying height h2 at the gas outflow end of the slider when the velocity of the recording medium is 15 m / s to the flying height h2 at the gas outflow end of the slider is shown. As is clear from this figure, the larger the width of the gas bearing rail, the higher the flying smoothness when the speed of the recording medium is doubled. In order to set the flying smoothness η to 1.3 or less, by setting the width of the plane immediately after the surface 14 to 30% or more of the length, it is possible to effectively bring out the speed characteristic effect during flying of the slider. .

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are the same parts. In this embodiment, a surface 14 is provided on the gas inflow side of the slider 12, and a surface 23 connected to the surface 14 is also formed on the side portion thereof by a step 25.

According to this embodiment, like the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the slider 12 can be levitated constantly, and the surface 23 suppresses side flow from the flat surface portion 15 of the recording medium at low speed. Thus, there is an effect of improving the speed characteristic when the slider 12 is flying. Further, even when a yaw angle is attached, the above-mentioned bearing characteristics can be obtained by the surface 23 and the step portion 25, and it is possible to prevent a decrease in the flying height when a yaw angle is attached.

FIG. 10 shows the yaw angle characteristics of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 9, in which the horizontal axis represents the yaw angle and the vertical axis represents the standardized flying height. In contrast to the conventional taper-flat type slider, the flying height of the slider of the present invention is hardly reduced even if the slider has a yaw angle. Therefore, even when the slider of the present invention is used in a rotary access type storage device in which the yaw angle changes at each radial position of the recording medium, a substantially constant flying height can be realized from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the recording medium. Of course, it is also possible to avoid a decrease in the flying height with respect to the yaw angle when seeking. When the depths of the surface 14 and the surface 23 are the same, the magnitude of the generated load load on the surface 23 can be adjusted.
Further, the processing of the surfaces 14 and 23 can be carried out only once, and productivity and cost can be reduced.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 9 are the same parts. In this example, face 14 and face 23
In this case, the chamfered portions 27 are provided on both sides of the flat portion 15, and the rail width reducing portion 26 is provided on the gas outflow side of the flat portion 15.

According to this embodiment, like the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the slider 12 can be levitated uniformly, and the chamfered portion 27 stabilizes the shape during processing such as ion milling, and during CSS. It is effective in preventing the medium from being damaged at the edge portion, suppressing the turbulence of the flow, and preventing the adhesion of dust. Further, by providing the rail width reducing portion 26 on the outflow side of the flowing gas, the load on the outflow side of the gas can be reduced, the flying posture and the center position of the pressure can be adjusted, and the flying height of the slider itself can be reduced. Further, it is possible to reduce the rail width at the gas outflow end, reduce the acceleration depression at the time of seek, and suppress a substantial decrease in the flying height. This embodiment also has the same effect for improving the speed characteristics when the slider is flying.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the surfaces 14 are provided only on both sides of the flat portion 15 of the slider 12 on the gas inflow side.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the pressure distribution during floating of the gas bearing surface of the fourth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. As is clear from this figure, the slider 12
On the gas inflow side, the surface 14 increases the pressure exerting the bearing effect. On the other hand, since the flat surface portion 15 extends to the gas inflow end in the widthwise central portion of the gas bearing surface without the surface 14, the pressure gradually rises toward the gas outflow end.
As a result, the gas bearing surface 13 has a monorail structure with one rail, but the pressure distribution is low in the center, and it is possible to form a pressure distribution equivalent to that of a twin-strip rail having pressure ridges on both sides. The roll rigidity of the slider can be increased to the same level as the twin-barrel type gas bearing rail.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the center of the slider is a flat portion (a curved portion may be small) in which a load is less generated, and the surfaces 14 are formed on both sides of the gas inflow side of the slider, which is preferable. It is possible to secure the speed characteristics when the slider is flying and to adjust the reduction of the positive pressure load. In addition, the roll rigidity of the slider can be improved with a simple air bearing surface shape, fluctuations in flying height due to shape dimension errors can be suppressed, and small sliders that are sensitive to dimensional tolerances and extremely low flying height sliders can be realized. Becomes

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 11 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the gas bearing surface 1
3 is provided with a step 14 on both sides of the gas inflow side, and the shape of the surface 14 is a substantially triangular shape having the outer shape of the slider 12 as a side, and the outer shape of the slider 12 is provided on both sides of the gas bearing surface 13 on the gas outflow side. The substantially triangular surface 28 is formed by a step.

According to this embodiment, the surface 14 on the gas inflow side is
Has a narrower surface 14 in the gas outflow end direction of the slider 12 and is formed at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the slider 12. Therefore, when the recording medium rotates, an attempt is made to enter from the gas inflow side of the slider 12. The dust or the foreign matter floating in the gas or the dust or dirt adhering to the surface of the recording medium is scraped off along the angle of the step portion 16 of the surface 14 to prevent the dust from entering and avoid reattachment to the step portion 16. be able to. In addition, when the yaw angle is attached to the substantially triangular surface 14 on the gas inflow side, the surface width on the inflow side of the flow becomes wide due to the yaw angle, and the load load increases. It has the effect of preventing a decrease in the amount. Further, the rear surface 28 can reduce the load on the gas outflow end side, and can adjust the flying posture and pressure center position of the slider 12 to reduce the flying height of the slider itself. Further, the width of the gas bearing rail at the gas outflow end can be reduced, the acceleration depression at the time of seek can be reduced, and the reduction in the flying height can be substantially suppressed. This embodiment also has the same effect for improving the floating speed characteristic. When the depth of the rear step surface 28 is 1 μm or more, a large negative pressure can be generated, and the flying performance of the slider using negative pressure can be further improved. By making the depth of the rear step surface 28 the same as the step depth of the step surface 14, the workability, the productivity and the accuracy are improved, and the cost of the slider having high flying performance can be reduced. This embodiment also has the same effect as above.

FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a sixth embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 16 is a side view of FIG. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIG. 11 and FIG. 14 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the surfaces 14 are provided by steps on both sides of the gas bearing surface 13 on the gas inflow side.
A surface 28 is provided on both sides of the gas outflow side of 3 by a step, and a surface 23 connecting the front and rear surfaces 14 and 28 is provided on a side portion of the gas bearing surface 13. Reference numeral 29 is the slider 1
6 shows a thin film head layer provided at the gas outflow end of No. 6.

According to this embodiment, the stepped portion on the gas inflow side of the surface 14 is formed at a smooth angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the slider 12. This smooth angle change enhances the effect of removing dust and foreign matter. The surface 23 enhances the effect of improving the flying characteristics when a yaw angle is added, and also has the effect of suppressing side flow. This embodiment also has the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a seventh embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 18 is a side view of FIG. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIG. 16 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the surfaces 14 are provided by steps on both sides of the gas bearing surface 13 on the gas inflow side, and the surfaces 28 are provided by steps on both sides of the gas bearing surface 13 on the gas outflow side. The connecting surface 23 is provided on the side of the gas bearing surface 13, the width of the surface 23 is narrowed from the gas inflow side to the gas outflow side, and the step portion 25 is configured to have an angle with the longitudinal direction of the slider 12. It is a thing.

According to this embodiment, when the slider 12 is accessed in the radial direction, dirt and dust adhering to the surface of the recording medium, which is about to enter from the gas inflow side of the slider 12 as the recording medium rotates, is removed. It is possible to prevent the dirt and dust from invading from the front surface of the slider 12 and prevent the slider 12 from reattaching to the step portion by separating the step portion 25 along the angle of the step portion 25 having a lower flying height than the gas inflow side.
In addition, this embodiment has the same effect as that of the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a plan view showing an eighth embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 20 is a side view of the slider shown in FIG. 19 seen from the transducer mounting surface. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIG. 17 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the surface 14, the surface 23, and the surface 28 are provided on the gas inflow side, the side portion, and the gas outflow side side portion of the slider 12 by a step, and the plane portion 15 is formed by the groove portion 30 on the gas inflow side. 15 and the flat portion 37 on the gas outflow side, and the flat portion 15 on the gas inflow side is further divided into the left and right by the groove portion 30.

According to this embodiment, since the flat portion 15 on the gas inflow side is separated into the right and left by the groove portion 30, the roll rigidity of the slider 12 is improved. The groove portion 30 has an effect of carrying out dust that has entered the slider 12 to both sides of the slider 12. Further, the flat portion 15 on the gas inflow side and the flat portion 37 on the gas outflow side have a structure overlapping in the longitudinal direction of the slider 12, and at the corner portion of the groove portion 30 when the slider 12 slides on the storage medium during CSS. It is possible to avoid contact with each other and prevent damage. In addition, this embodiment has the same effect as that of the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a ninth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 19 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the slider 12
The gas bearing surface is provided with a surface 14 that generates a main load and a flat surface portion 15, and a side pad 31 that does not reach the gas outflow end is sandwiched between the flat surface portion 15 of the gas bearing rail and the groove portion 30. It is provided. The flying height of the side pad 31 that shares the restoring force when the slider 12 tilts in the width direction is set to be larger than the flying height of the gas outflow end of the flat surface portion 15 so that the flat surface portion 15 always maintains the minimum floating height. Has been done.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to increase the roll rigidity of the slider and prevent the flying height from decreasing during seek. In addition, this embodiment has the same effect as that of the above-mentioned embodiment.

22 to 25 are sectional views showing the shape of the step surface portion used in the slider of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the surface of the step portion 16 is formed at a right angle.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 23 is an example in which the surface of the step portion 16 is formed by the inclined surface 32. If the inclined surface 32 is attached, the step surface can be stably manufactured.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 24, a minute curvature (referred to as chamfer) 33 is provided at the corner between the step portion 16 and the plane portion 15. With this chamfer 33, CSS
It is possible to reduce damage at the time of contact with the recording medium while the slider is flying.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 25, the surface following the step portion 16 is provided with a minute convex curvature on the recording medium side.
The protrusion amount δcr due to this curvature is approximately several tens of nm.
According to this example, it is possible to avoid adhesion between the slider and the recording medium during CSS.

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing a tenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are the same parts. This embodiment is an example in which a surface formed by a step is not formed on the gas bearing surface, but is formed by a thin film attached to the reference surface. Specifically, the surface 14 is used as a reference surface, and a thin film having a height corresponding to the step depth is deposited there by a semiconductor process or the like to form a surface shape by a step. In this structure, the step portion is attached by adhesion growth.

According to this embodiment, the thickness of the formed film can use the technique established in the semiconductor manufacturing process such as a monitor, can be easily managed, and can be formed with a higher precision than the depth at the time of processing. As a result, the step depth accuracy of the surface 14 is improved, and the reference surface is the surface 14, and the upper surface of the deposit thin film 35 is the flat surface portion 15, so that the surface roughness of the surface 14 and the flat surface portion 15 can be suppressed small. It is possible to reduce the flying height variation due to the shape error. Further, since the film forming speed is high, it is possible to shorten the production time and reduce the cost. In this embodiment, the semiconductor process is taken as an example, but the thin film to be deposited can be formed by another means. For example, the cost can be reduced by using a wet plating technique, applying a thin film by a printing technique, applying by a coating, or the like.

FIG. 27 is a sectional view showing an eleventh embodiment of the slider of the present invention, which is a sectional view of a section passing through the transducer 11 provided on the slider. In this figure,
The same symbols as in FIG. 26 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the surface 14 formed by the step is used as the base surface, and the thin film 15 is deposited including the gap portion of the transducer 11.

According to this embodiment, the transducer 1
The sliding resistance of a part can be secured, and it can function as an electrical protective film against dielectric breakdown in the MR element. Also,
The thin film to be deposited is made of a material with excellent sliding resistance, such as SiO2.
By using diamond-like carbon or the like, the slider substrate material can be made a material suitable for forming a transducer. Further, in a shape having a two-step difference such as using negative pressure, the deposition thin film forms a step difference, and
It can be used as a processing mask (stopper) for other steps, and it is possible to reduce manufacturing time, reduce cost, and improve accuracy.

FIG. 28 is a sectional view showing a twelfth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 26 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the deposition thin film formed on the surface 14 serving as the base surface is formed of a multilayer film. The deposition thin film 35 forming the step surface 14 structure of the slider 12 is formed by the multilayer films 35a, 35b and 35c.

According to this embodiment, the lower surface film 35c improves the bonding strength to the slider substrate, the intermediate film 35b improves the head protection function, the processing mask (stopper) function and the sliding resistance, and the surface film. 35a can realize a plurality of functions that cannot be realized by a single-layer film, such as improvement of slidability, avoidance of adhesion of dust, and improvement of adhesion of etching resist, and reliability can be improved.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing a thirteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are the same parts. In this embodiment, three gas bearing rails, which are independently provided on the gas bearing surface, are provided on the gas bearing surface of the slider 12 so as to be spaced apart from each other. And the transducer 11 is mounted on the outflow end of the gas outflow side flat portion 37, and the surface 14 by the step is provided in the gas inflow portion of the gas inflow side flat portion 15. It is a thing.

According to this embodiment, since the gas bearing rails are provided at both sides of the slider 12 on the gas inflow side and the center of the gas outflow side, the pitch rigidity of the slider 12 is ensured and the acceleration depression at the seek time is substantially ensured. Can be kept small. In addition, the width of the flat portions 15 and 37 is set to the slider 1
Since it can be configured to be as large as 30% or more of the length of No. 2, the yaw angle characteristic is improved and the surface 14 due to the step on the gas inflow side has an effect of improving the speed characteristic when flying the slider, and the slider is floated at a constant flying height in the device. Can be surfaced. In addition, this embodiment has the same effect as that of the above-mentioned embodiment.
Further, the flat surface 37 on the gas outflow side and the surface 14 due to the step are made to have the same height, and the flat surface portion 15 is made of the above-mentioned adhered thin film, so that it is possible to eliminate the entire surface contact at the time of CSS and avoid the adhesion.

FIG. 30 is a plan view of the fourteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 31 is a side view of FIG. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIG. 29 are the same parts.
This embodiment is an example in which the gas bearing surface of the slider 12 is composed of four gas bearing rails divided into four on both sides of the gas inflow side and the gas outflow side by a surface 36 formed by a step.
The transducer 11 is mounted on the gas outflow end of the flat portion 37 on the gas outflow side, the surface 14 by the step is provided on the gas inflow end of the flat portion 15 on the gas inflow side, and also on the gas inflow side of the flat portion 37 on the gas outflow side. The surface 14 is formed by a step.

According to this embodiment, since the gas bearing rails are provided at the four corners of the gas bearing surface of the slider 12, the pitch rigidity and roll rigidity of the slider 12 can be improved. In addition, this embodiment has the same effect as that of the above-mentioned embodiment.
Depending on the step depth of the surface 14 due to the step, the slider 12
The load on the slider 12 can be adjusted, the flying height and flying posture of the slider 12 and the flat portion 37 on the gas outflow side can be made large, and the flying height of the slider 12 can be reduced.

FIG. 32 is a plan view showing a fifteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 33 is a side view of FIG. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIG. 30 are the same parts. In this embodiment, a stepped surface 36 is provided at the center of the gas bearing surface of the slider 12 in the longitudinal direction to form a catamaran rail.
Further, the stepped surfaces 14 are provided around the gas inflow side flat portion 15 and on both sides of the gas outflow side flat portion 37 on the gas inflow side.

According to this embodiment, in addition to the characteristics of the above-described embodiment, there is an effect of improving the flying height of the slider 12 especially with respect to the yaw angle.

FIG. 34 is a plan view showing a sixteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 35 is a side view seen from the transducer mounting surface of the slider shown in FIG. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIG. 32 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the surface 3 formed by the step is formed on the gas bearing surface of the slider 12.
6 is provided to form three gas bearing rails that are separated from each other, and a plane 14 is formed on the gas inflow side of the plane portion 15 of these gas bearing rails by a step.

According to this embodiment, each gas bearing rail is elongated, the speed of the storage medium is doubled, and the flying smoothness of the slider 12 does not reach 120%. There is an effect of improving the characteristics, and the offset of the yaw angle characteristics can realize a constant flying height of the slider 12 even in a low-speed rotary access type apparatus. In addition, this embodiment has the same effect as that of the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 36 is a plan view showing a seventeenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 37 is a side view seen from the gas inflow end of the slider shown in FIG. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIG. 32 are the same parts. In this embodiment, a stepped surface 36 is provided on the gas bearing surface of the slider 12,
This is configured by forming a separated catamaran rail, and providing a plane 14 by a step on the gas inflow side of the plane portion 15 of the catamaran rail.

According to this embodiment, the conventional slider air bearing surface processing technology and the step surface processing or thin film deposition technology enable easy production at low cost. This embodiment also has the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiments. 38 to 49 show examples of the shape of the surface due to the step difference used in the slider of the present invention in plan and side views. In the examples shown in FIGS. 38 and 39, the plane shape of the surface 14 due to the step difference is the longitudinal direction of the slider. It has a trapezoidal shape with different lengths in the direction. According to this example, since the side portion of the slider can be lengthened, there is an effect of improving the flying characteristic of the slider when a yaw angle is added.

In the example shown in FIGS. 40 and 41, the surface 14 formed by the step is formed in a substantially triangular shape with only a part of the gas bearing rail in the width direction. According to this example, the ratio of the surface 14 due to the step at the gas inflow end has the effect of adjusting the load applied to the slider, and the angle of the surface 14 has the effect of preventing dust from entering and the effect of improving the yaw angle characteristic.

In the example shown in FIGS. 42 and 43, the surface 14 formed by the step is formed only in a part of the width direction of the gas bearing rail, and the step 16 has a substantially triangular shape in which the angle changes smoothly. According to this example, the dust resistance performance can be improved.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 44 and 45, the surface 14 formed by the step is part of the width direction of the gas bearing rail. According to this example, the same effect as above is obtained.

In the example shown in FIGS. 46 and 47, the surface 14 formed by the step is made long on both sides of the gas bearing rail in the longitudinal direction of the slider and short at the center, and the plane portion 15 is formed into a shell shape.

In the example shown in FIGS. 48 and 49, the surface 14 formed by the step is formed into a substantially triangular shape only on both sides in the width direction of the gas bearing rail. According to this example, it is possible to prevent dust that has entered the surface 14 due to the step from entering the flat surface portion 15. It also has the effect of improving the yaw angle characteristic.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the positive pressure type slider has been described, but the negative pressure type slider will be described below.

FIG. 50 is a perspective view showing the 18th embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same symbols as those in the previous figure are the same or corresponding parts. In this embodiment, the gas bearing surface 13 of the slider 12 arranged to face the rotating storage medium has a pair of positive pressure generating surfaces (hereinafter referred to as side rails) 17 at both ends in the slider width direction. . The side rail 17 has a surface 14 formed by a step on the air inflow end side, and a flat surface portion 15 is formed following the surface 14 formed by the step. The flat portion 15 has a narrowed rail 21 having a narrowed rail width from the air inflow end side toward the air outflow end side. The constricted portion 21 is provided closer to the air inflow end than the longitudinal center of the slider 12. The bearing surface 24 of the rear portion of the slider 12 that extends from the constricted portion 21 toward the air outflow end side and further extends in the width direction ends at the rear end 22 of the side rail 17, and does not reach the air outflow end of the slider 1. It has become.

A cross rail 18 is provided between the pair of side rails 17 on the air inflow end side thereof.
A concave portion (hereinafter, referred to as negative pressure pocket) 19 that is surrounded by a pair of side rails 17 and generates negative pressure is formed.

A central positive pressure generating surface (hereinafter referred to as a center rail) 20 extending from the air inflow end to the air outflow end is provided at the center of the slider width direction. The width of the center rail 20 is narrow and parallel on the air inflow end side and spreads in a triangular shape on the air outflow end side.
The structure is such that it finally reaches the outflow end.

The air bearing surface 13 is formed at the rear end of the center rail 20.
The transducer 11 is mounted on the surface 26 substantially perpendicular to the.

Further, along the center rail 20, two grooves 16 having the same depth as the negative pressure pocket portion 19 reaching the air inflow end from the negative pressure pocket portion 19 are provided in the cross rail 18.

The total length of the slider 12 in this embodiment is 1 mm, the total width is 0.8 mm, and the height is 0.2 mm.
The width of the center rail 20 at the air outflow end is 0.26 mm
And Further, the slider pressing load on the storage medium is 0.95 gf, and the peripheral velocity of the storage medium is 12.7 m /
The flying height at the air outflow end of the slider 12 when s is approximately 0.0
It is 6 μm.

The negative pressure pocket portion 19 and the stepped surface 14 are processed by ion milling or the like. The depth of the negative pressure pocket portion 19 is about 6 μm with respect to the plane portion 15, and similarly, the depth of the surface 14 due to the step is about 0.1 μm with respect to the plane portion 15.
To 0.2 μm. In this embodiment, the step surface 14 is processed after the negative pressure pocket portion 19 is processed.

One feature of this embodiment is that the gas bearing surface 13 of the slider 12 is entirely formed by ion milling. When the size of the slider 12 is reduced as in this embodiment, it becomes more and more difficult to machine only the tapered surface by machining as in the conventional case, and instead of the tapered surface, a surface 14 due to a step which can be manufactured by ion milling is formed. The advantage of doing so also appears in terms of workability.

The operation of this embodiment described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 51 and 52.

FIG. 51 is a perspective view of the pressure distribution of the embodiment shown in FIG. 52 is a side view of the pressure distribution shown in FIG.

An airflow is generated as the storage medium rotates. The airflow that has flown into the surface 14 due to the step difference is compressed by the surface 14 due to the step difference and increases in pressure. The air flow on both sides that has flowed into the surface 14 due to the step proceeds through the side rail 17, and the remaining air flow excluding the center rail 20 expands through the cross rail 18 in the negative pressure pocket portion 19, and the pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, that is, A negative pressure is reached and reaches the outflow end of the slider 12.

On the other hand, the air flow flowing in from the groove 16 goes directly to the negative pressure pocket portion 19 without increasing the pressure, and acts to reduce the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure pocket portion 19. The air that has flowed in from the center rail 20 is affected by the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure pockets 19 on both sides on the air inflow end side where the rail width is narrow, and becomes a negative pressure region, and at the air outflow end of the slider 12 that has a widened portion. Generates positive pressure.

The air flow traveling through the side rails 17 causes a sharp pressure drop due to an increase in side flow due to a decrease in rail width due to the constricted portion 21 and an inflow into the negative pressure pocket 19. Then, the bearing surface 24 at the rear of the slider 12
Then, the pressure rises again, becomes a weak negative pressure once at the rear end 22 of the side rail 17, and returns to the atmospheric pressure.

According to this embodiment, the surface 14 having a very shallow step of about 0.1 μm to 0.2 μm is provided at the air inflow end of the slider 12, so that the pressure saturation characteristic of the compressibility of air is saturated. The phenomenon occurs. As a result, the side rails 17 increase in response to the increase in air velocity due to the rotation of the recording medium.
The increase in the positive pressure generated on the rail surface becomes smaller than that in the case where the taper surface is provided at the air inflow end of the conventional slider 12, and the speed characteristic is improved.

The effect of the step provided on the air inflow end side of the slider 12 on the speed characteristic of the surface 14 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 53 shows the speed characteristics in the embodiment shown in FIG. 50, using the depth g of the surface 14 due to the step as a parameter. In addition, the speed characteristics of the conventional tapered surface are also shown in the speed characteristics. This taper angle is 0.7 °.

The range of change in the peripheral velocity of the storage medium is based on the peripheral velocity at the innermost radial position of the storage medium,
The peripheral velocity at the outermost radial position of the storage medium is doubled. Similarly, the flying height of the slider is expressed as a flying height ratio in which the flying height at each radial position is standardized with reference to the flying height at the innermost radial position of the storage medium. According to this embodiment, if the depth of the surface 14 is smaller than 0.5 μm, the depth is smaller than that of the conventional slider having a tapered surface.
Speed characteristics can be improved. In particular, the depth of the surface 14 is 0.
When the thickness is 2 μm or less, the flying height ratio becomes 120% or less even if the speed doubles, which is very preferable as the speed characteristic.
On the contrary, if the depth of the surface 14 is larger than 0.5 μm, the speed characteristic becomes worse than that of the conventional slider having a tapered surface.

FIG. 54 shows the relationship between the depth of the surface 14 of the slider and the load capacity of the embodiment shown in FIG.
Is shown as a parameter. From FIG. 54, first,
It can be seen that the load capacity W of the slider has a maximum value with respect to the depth of the surface 14.

Secondly, it can be seen that as the peripheral velocity U of the storage medium increases, the maximum value of the load capacity W moves in the direction in which the depth of the surface 14 increases.

Thirdly, it can be seen that the smaller the depth of the surface 14, the smaller the change in the load capacity W even if the peripheral velocity U of the storage medium changes. That is, the load capacity W of the slider is saturated with respect to the peripheral velocity U of the storage medium. In this embodiment, if the depth of the surface 14 is 0.1 μm, the peripheral velocity U is 12.7.
Even if it doubles from 2 m / s to 25.45 m / s, the load capacity W is 0.05 g, which corresponds to about 5% of the pressing load.
Since only f changes, it is possible to have a very favorable velocity characteristic as shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the step depth is 0.5 μm.
By setting the following, the velocity characteristic can be improved as compared with the case of a slider having a tapered surface. In particular, if the depth of the surface 14 is set so as to be smaller than the depth of the surface 14 where the load capacity becomes maximum when the peripheral speed of the storage medium is the minimum, that is, the depth of the surface 14 is set in this embodiment. If the thickness is smaller than 0.3 μm, the velocity characteristic with a smaller flying height ratio will be exhibited. In this embodiment, the peripheral speed at the innermost peripheral position of the recording medium was studied as 12.72 m / s, but when the peripheral speed is smaller, the surface 14 having the maximum load capacity under the minimum peripheral speed condition. It is obvious that the depth of the surface 14 should be determined and the depth of the surface 14 should be smaller than the depth of the surface 14.

As described above, the greatest feature of this embodiment is that the surface 14 having a step of the order of submicron is formed on the air inflow end side of the slider 12.

FIG. 55 shows the relationship between the yaw angle and the standardized flying height of the slider of the embodiment shown in FIG. 50. Here, the yaw angle means the tangential direction of the storage medium when the storage medium rotates and the slider longitudinal direction. It is the angle formed by. The standardized flying height is a value obtained by standardizing the flying height when the yaw angle is attached with reference to the flying height when the yaw angle is 0 degree. Slider 1
Even when the air inflow end of No. 2 is a step bearing, the sinking of the flying height with respect to the yaw angle (hereinafter referred to as the yaw angle characteristic) is almost the same as in the case of the conventional slider having a tapered surface.

FIG. 56 is a perspective view showing a nineteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 55 are the same parts. In this embodiment, the groove 16 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 50 is filled and the side rails 17 are completely connected by the cross rails 18.

According to this embodiment, since the groove 16 is filled, the negative pressure pocket 1 is different from the case of the embodiment shown in FIG.
Direct air flow through the groove 16 to 9 is eliminated, and the negative pressure can be made larger than that in the embodiment shown in FIG. Specifically, the depth of the surface 14 is 0.3 μm and the peripheral velocity of the storage medium is 1.
The flying height ratio when changing from 2.72 m / s to 25.45 m / s was about 120%. FIG. 57 is a perspective view showing a twentieth embodiment of the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 55 are the same parts. This embodiment corresponds to the side rail 1 in the embodiment shown in FIG.
7 and both side surfaces of the surface 14 due to the step on the air inflow end side are cut from the widthwise center side of the slider toward the outer edge.

According to this embodiment, dust is prevented from adhering to the surface 14 due to a step during the operation of the apparatus, and the dust adhering area can be reduced.

FIG. 58 is a plan view showing a twenty-first embodiment of the slider of the present invention, and FIG. 59 is a side view of FIG. In this figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 55 are the same parts.
In this embodiment, a negative pressure utilizing type slider composed of a side rail 17, a cross rail 18 and a negative pressure pocket 19 is provided with a surface 14 by a step.

According to this embodiment, the plane shape of the surface 14 due to the step is made substantially triangular so that the speed characteristic is improved, the floating characteristic is secured when the yaw angle is attached, and the invasion of dust is avoided. In this working example, a total length of 1
Although the characteristics of the slider are limited to the negative pressure type slider of mm, the effect of the present invention is not limited to this.

FIG . 61 is a cross-sectional view showing a linear type magnetic disk device equipped with the slider of the present invention. In this figure, the guide arm 43 is coupled to the positioning mechanism 44. The suspension device 4 is attached to the guide arm 44.
Two are connected. The slider 12 having the transducer 11 mounted thereon is attached to the tip of the suspension device 42. The slider 12 moves forward and backward in the radial direction of the storage medium 41 that is driven and rotated by a drive unit 45 such as a voice coil motor. According to this embodiment, the flying height of the slider 12 can be made substantially constant at any position between the inner and outer circumferences of the storage medium 41, and the flying height variation is small and the flying height is stable, so that the flying height of the slider can be reduced. It becomes possible to realize high density storage of the recording medium.

FIG . 62 is a perspective view showing a rotary (in-line) type magnetic disk device equipped with the slider of the present invention in a partial cross section. In this figure, a slider 12 having a transducer 11 mounted thereon is attached to the tip of a suspension device 42 coupled to a positioning mechanism 44. A load / unload mechanism 47 is provided adjacent to the storage medium 41 of the positioning mechanism 44.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate direct contact between the slider 12 and the recording medium 41, avoid sticking at the time of CSS, and ensure reliability. Also in this embodiment, the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiment can be obtained.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the velocity characteristic of the storage medium floating on the slider is made substantially constant regardless of the use of positive pressure and negative pressure, and the yaw angle characteristic is improved. The flying height at any position on the storage medium can be made substantially constant regardless of the method of the access mechanism. Further, it is possible to obtain a gas bearing surface of the slider which holds the flying height variation small due to the acceleration at the time of seek and stably floats by non-machining. Further, the floating characteristics are good and the sliding resistance is excellent, and it is possible to avoid dust from adhering to the slider inflow side gas bearing surface.

Further, by simplifying the shape of the air bearing surface of the slider, the workability is improved, and the change in the flying height due to dimensional variation can be significantly reduced, and a small low flying slider can be realized and a step difference can be realized. It consists of an attached thin film
It is possible to protect the head and improve the sliding resistance.

The present invention has the above-described structure and operation, and the saturation characteristics with respect to the speed of the negative pressure and the load capacity of the step bearing are combined to obtain good speed characteristics even in a small negative pressure slider having a total length of 2 mm or less.

Further, the structure in which the slider is mounted on the device having the load / unload mechanism makes it possible to avoid the change in the flying characteristic due to the accumulation of dust on the step surface due to the sliding during CSS.

[0122]

As described above, according to the present invention, the flying speed characteristics of the slider can be made substantially constant regardless of the positive pressure or negative pressure application type, so that the slider on the storage medium can be used regardless of the access mechanism. The flying height at any position can be made almost constant. As a result, high density storage of the recording medium can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a slider of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram of a pressure distribution generated on the gas bearing surface of the first embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a pressure distribution characteristic diagram showing an enlarged pressure distribution of a step surface portion of a gas bearing surface in the pressure distribution characteristic diagram of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the depth of the step surface of the slider of the present invention and the generated load load on the slider.

FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the step surface depth with the maximum load load and the speed of the recording medium in the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the depth of the step surface and the slider flying velocity characteristic of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a characteristic diagram illustrating the relationship between the width of the gas bearing rail and the slider flying speed characteristic in the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a characteristic diagram illustrating the relationship between the width of the gas bearing rail and the slider flying smoothness in the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship of yaw angle characteristics between the slider of the present invention and the conventional slider.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

13 is a perspective view showing a characteristic of pressure distribution generated on the gas bearing surface of the fourth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a sixth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

16 is a side view of a sixth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a seventh embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a side view of the seventh embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 19 is a plan view showing an eighth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

20 is a side view of the slider according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 19 as seen from the transducer mounting surface.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a ninth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of an example of a step surface portion formed on the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of another example of the step surface portion formed on the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of still another example of the step surface portion formed in the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of another example of the step surface portion formed on the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing a tenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a sectional view showing an eleventh embodiment of a slider of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a sectional view showing a twelfth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing a thirteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 30 is a plan view showing a fourteenth embodiment of slider of the present invention.

31 is a side view of the fourteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 30. FIG.

FIG. 32 is a plan view showing a fifteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

33 is a side view of the fifteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 32. FIG.

FIG. 34 is a plan view showing a sixteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 35 is a side view of the sixteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 34 as seen from the transducer mounting surface.

FIG. 36 is a plan view showing a seventeenth embodiment of slider of the present invention.

FIG. 37 is a side view of the seventeenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 36 as seen from the gas inflow end.

FIG. 38 is a plan view showing an example of a step surface formed on the slider of the present invention.

39 is a side view of an example of a step surface formed on the slider of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 40 is a plan view showing another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention.

41 is a side view of another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 40. FIG.

FIG. 42 is a plan view showing still another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention.

43 is a side view of still another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 42. FIG.

FIG. 44 is a plan view showing another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention.

45 is a side view of another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 44.

FIG. 46 is a plan view showing still another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention.

47 is a side view of still another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 46. FIG.

FIG. 48 is a plan view showing another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention.

49 is a side view of another example of the step surface formed on the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 48. FIG.

FIG. 50 is a perspective view showing an eighteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

51 is a perspective view showing characteristics of pressure distribution generated on the gas bearing surface in the eighteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 50. FIG.

52 is a side view of the pressure distribution shown in FIG. 51. FIG.

53 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the standardized velocity and the standardized flying height in the eighteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 50.

54 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the depth of the step surface and the load capacitance in the eighteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG.

55 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the yaw angle and the normalized flying height in the eighteenth embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 50.

FIG. 56 is a perspective view showing a nineteenth embodiment of slider of the present invention.

FIG. 57 is a perspective view showing a twentieth embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 58 is a plan view showing a twenty-first embodiment of the slider of the present invention.

59 is a side view of the twenty-first embodiment of the slider of the present invention shown in FIG. 58. FIG.

FIG. 60 is a perspective view showing a partial cross section of an example of a rotating disk storage device equipped with the slider of the present invention.

FIG. 61 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the rotating disk storage device equipped with the slider of the invention.

FIG. 62 is a perspective view showing, in a partial cross section, still another example of the rotating disk storage device equipped with the slider of the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Transducer, 12 ... Slider, 13 ... Gas bearing surface, 14 ... Step surface, 15 ... Plane section, 16 ... Step section,
17 ... Side rail, 18 ... Cross rail, 19 ... Negative pressure pocket, 20 ... Center rail, 21 ... Constricted portion, 2
2 ... Side rail rear end, 23 ... Side step surface, 24 ... Rear bearing surface, 25 ... Side step section, 26 ... Outflow side rail width reduction section, 27 ... R chamfered section, 28 ... Rear step surface, 2
9 ... Thin film head layer, 30 ... Groove portion, 31 ... Side pad,
32 ... inclined surface, 33 ... chamfer, 34 ... minute convex surface, 3
Reference numeral 5 ... Deposition film, 36 ... Step surface, 37 ... Inflow side flat surface portion, 41 ... Storage medium, 42 ... Suspension device, 43
... guide arm, 44 ... positioning mechanism, 45 ... drive unit,
46 ... Cover.

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Mikio Tokuyama               502 Kandamachi, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture Co., Ltd.                 Hitachi Ltd. Mechanical Research Laboratory (72) Inventor Yumitsu Tomasue               502 Kandamachi, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture Co., Ltd.                 Hitachi Ltd. Mechanical Research Laboratory (72) Inventor Naoki Maeda               2880 Kozu, Odawara City, Kanagawa Stock               Hitachi storage system               Within the business unit (72) Inventor Koji Kami               2880 Kozu, Odawara City, Kanagawa Stock               Hitachi storage system               Within the business unit (72) Inventor Shigeo Nakamura               2880 Kozu, Odawara City, Kanagawa Stock               Hitachi storage system               Within the business unit                (56) References Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-245480 (JP, A)                 JP 64-21713 (JP, A)                 JP-A-4-341985 (JP, A)                 JP-A-3-241577 (JP, A)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A head for reading / writing information on a recording medium, and a positive pressure formed on a surface facing the recording medium.
A bearing surface having a first planar portion and a second planar portion, the length 2mm or less of a slider and a recess for generating a negative pressure
Oite, wherein mutually opposed in the width direction of the slider first planar portion
When the respective air inflow end side of the second planar portion, said first
Depth of 0.2 μm or less with respect to the plane part and the second plane part of
A first step and a second step having
The slider to do. 2. A head for reading / writing information from / on a recording medium, a first positive pressure generating portion facing the width direction of the slider, and a first positive pressure generating portion.
The positive pressure generating section and the negative pressure generating section of 2 are opposed to the recording medium.
And the first positive pressure generating part is formed on a surface of
And the second positive pressure generating portion has a second
Step, and the first step and the second step are respectively the first positive pressure.
A depth of 0.2 μm or less for the generator and the second positive pressure generator
A slider having a full length of 2 mm or less . 3. A slider for mounting the head for reading and writing information on a recording medium, is formed on the surface facing the recording medium, and side rails
A bearing portion for have a positive pressure generator comprising a cross rail, the negative pressure Ru is formed on the air outflow end side of the cross rail generation
The bearing portion has a step on the air inflow end side of the positive pressure generating portion.
The slider is characterized in that the step has a depth of 0.3 μm or less with respect to the positive pressure generating portion and a total length of 2 mm or less.