Importance

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Abstract

A glide head includes two rails that run from the leading end to the trailing end of the glide head and a transverse contact rail that is orientated orthogonally to the two rails and is located at the trailing end of the glide head. The two rails may contact the transverse contact rail or one or both may not extend to the transverse contact rail. In addition, the channel region defined between the two rails and the wing, if used, may be tapered so that they merge with the bottom surface of the transverse contact rail. The transverse contact rail may extend beyond the two rails. The glide head flies with a positive pitch which causes the transverse contact rail to be the closest area on the glide head to the surface of a rotating disk being tested. Thus, the mechanical energy is greatest when the transverse contact rail contacts a defect on a disk, and thus the transverse contact rail is the active rail. Because the transverse contact rail extends across the width of the glide head, the glide head may be stepped by large amounts when testing a disk, which decreases testing time and increases throughput. In addition, the transverse contact rail may extend from one side of the glide head to the other, and thus, the glide head may be used to test both the inside diameter and outside diameter of a disk.

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First Claim