Patent ID: 8144412
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A thin film magnetic head having a slider substrate and a reproducing element, comprising: a medium projection detection mechanism that detects a projection on a surface of a recording medium located opposed to an air bearing surface (ABS) of the thin film magnetic head, wherein the medium projection detection mechanism has a discharging electrode in which a discharging edge is exposed in a vicinity of the reproducing element on the ABS, a capacitor that stores an electric charge by connecting to the discharging electrode, and an input line and an output line that are connected to the discharging electrode, the discharging electrode is configured to receive a voltage applied through the input line by a voltage application device that is connected from the outside, and the capacitor is configured to store electric charge by the applied voltage, and the output line is connected to a projection detection processing system, the output line being connected to the discharging electrode and the projection detection processing system to detect in a non-contacting manner the location of the projection that is a detection target on the surface of the recording medium by discharging between the discharging electrode and the projection that is the detection target existing on the surface of the recording medium and by detecting voltage change that is caused by the discharging when the projection is detected.