Patent ID: 6852013
Filing Date: 2005-02-08
Classification: G11B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of shaping a rear pad of a slider within a disk drive, the rear pad being formed of burnishable material and maintaining an element for reading and/or writing, the disk drive further including a spindle motor rotatably driving a disk and an actuator assembly positioning the slider over a surface of the disk, wherein during normal operation of the disk drive, rotation of the disk at a normal operational speed generates an air bearing between the slider and the disk surface, the air bearing dictating a fly height, the method comprising: initially forming the rear pad to an increased height such that at the normal operational speed, the rear pad is loaded against the disk surface and the fly height is zero; rotating the disk such that the rear pad rubs against the disk surface; and radially moving the slider relative to the disk surface in a reciprocal fashion during a first burnishing mode, causing the rear pad to rock; wherein during the first burnishing mode, contact between the rear pad and the disk surface causes the height of the rear pad to decrease and imparts a positive camber into the rear pad.