Numerical and experimental investigations of the head /disk interface

Abstract

Experimental techniques were developed for the investigation of slider dynamics for ultra-low spacing head/disk interfaces. Voltage pulsing and mapping techniques were established for the investigation of clearance and flying height modulation as functions of head/disk interface parameters. Numerical methods were developed to analyze forces acting on sliders of discrete track recording head/disk interfaces. A finite-element-based air bearing simulator was used to predict the steady state flying characteristics of arbitrarily shaped slider contours flying over discrete track recording disks. The direct simulation Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the rarefied gas flow in nano-channels.