Patent ID: 6262572
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A thermo-resistive glide test head assembly for detecting thermal asperities in the surface of a rotating magnetic recording disc comprising:a slider, having a plurality of air bearing elements, the air bearing elements each having a form and dimensions, including a width at the trailing edge of said slider, selected to hydrodynamically support the glide test head assembly in a predetermined relationship to the surface of the disc; anda thermo-resistive element, disposed substantially at the trailing edge of one of said air bearing elements of said slider and having a maximum width maximized in relationship to the width of the air bearing element on which it is disposed, for providing a thermal asperity detection signal when a thermal asperity in the surface of the rotating disc passes beneath the thermo-resistive element and induces a resistance change in the thermo-resistive element,the thermo-resistive element also comprising primary lead connections disposed at opposing ends of the thermo-resistive element for connecting the thermo-resistive element to sensing circuitry; andone or more intermediary taps disposed along the width of the thermo-resistive element between the primary lead connections, the intermediary taps serving to divide the maximum width of the thermo-resistive element into selectable, differing effective width portions, the intermediary taps connected to intermediary lead connections for connection to sensing circuitry,whereby selection of pairs of the primary and intermediary lead connections and connection of a selected pair of lead connections to sensing circuitry allows differing precision in the determination of the location of the defects in the surface of a magnetic recording disc.