Abstract:
A slider comprising a contact sensor element configured to respond to a change in resistance due to a change in temperature, and a shield structure. The shield structure comprises a lower thermal conductivity than the contact sensor element and a greater hardness than the contact sensor element.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The following problems may occur regarding a shield structure around contact sensor element: (1) Heat is taken by the shield structure at the time of contact with particles. Accordingly, contact detection sensitivity is reduced. (2) If the projection of shield structure (in the direction of the disk) is smaller than the projection of the contact sensor element, particles may pass the shield structure and collide with the contact sensor element. Accordingly, the contact sensor element may become damaged. (3) If the projection of shield structure (in the direction of the disk) is smaller than the projection of the contact sensor element, the contact sensor element may not contact the disk. Accordingly, contact detection sensitivity may fall. (4) When particles contact shield structure, the shield structure is dragged by the particles. An electrical short between the shield structure and the contact sensor element, or the shield structure and an electrode of contact sensor element may result in damage to the contact sensor element. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a hard disk drive, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A-D  illustrate examples of a head slider, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates of a flow chart of a method for detecting damage of a contact sensor element, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     The drawings referred to in this description should be understood as not being drawn to scale except if specifically noted. 
     SUMMARY 
     A shield structure constituted from a metal of lower thermal conductivity than the contact sensor element and greater hardness than the contact sensor element is provided in the periphery of the contact sensor element. 
     This shield structure is constituted from, for example, an Fe, Ni, Cu or Cr alloy. The shield structure is electrically connected to the main body portion of the slider. Furthermore, the power supply electrodes of the contact sensor element are electrically connected to the main body portion of the slider by way of a resistor. As a result, the GND electric potential of the shield structure and the contact sensor element is kept at a constant, and the effects of any shorting between the shield structure and the contact sensor element are reduced. 
     In addition, a circuit for monitoring the contact sensor element resistance value in order to evaluate the extent of damage is provided. 
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present technology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the technology will be described in conjunction with various embodiment(s), it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present technology to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present technology is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments as defined by the appended claims. 
     Furthermore, in the following description of embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present technology. However, the present technology may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present embodiments. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , a schematic drawing of one embodiment of an information storage system including a magnetic hard disk file or HDD  100  for a computer system is shown, although only one head and one disk surface combination are shown. What is described herein for one head-disk combination is also applicable to multiple head-disk combinations. In other words, the present technology is independent of the number of head-disk combinations. 
     In general, HDD  100  has an internal base plate  113  and an internal cover (not shown). In one embodiment, internal housing  113  contains a disk pack having at least one media or magnetic disk  138 . The disk pack (as represented by disk  138 ) defines an axis of rotation and a radial direction relative to the axis in which the disk pack is rotatable. 
     A spindle motor assembly having a central drive hub  130  operates as the axis and rotates the disk  138  or disks of the disk pack in the circumferential direction relative to internal base plate  113 . An actuator assembly  115  includes one or more actuator arms  116 . When a number of actuator arms  116  are present, they are usually represented in the form of a comb that is movably or pivotally mounted to base/housing  113 . A controller  150  is also mounted to internal base plate  113  for selectively moving the actuator arms  116  relative to the disk  138 . Actuator assembly  115  may be coupled with a connector assembly, such as a flex cable to convey data between arm electronics and a host system, such as a computer, wherein HDD  100  resides. 
     In one embodiment, each actuator arm  116  has extending from it at least one cantilevered integrated lead suspension (ILS)  120 . The ILS  120  may be any form of lead suspension that can be used in a data access storage device. The level of integration containing the slider  121 , ILS  120 , and read/write head is called the Head Gimbal Assembly (HGA). 
     The ILS  120  has a spring-like quality, which biases or presses the air-bearing surface of slider  121  against disk  138  to cause slider  121  to fly at a precise distance from disk  138 . ILS  120  has a hinge area that provides for the spring-like quality, and a flexing cable-type interconnect that supports read and write traces and electrical connections through the hinge area. A voice coil  112 , free to move within a conventional voice coil motor magnet assembly is also mounted to actuator arms  116  opposite the head gimbal assemblies. Movement of the actuator assembly  115  by controller  150  causes the head gimbal assembly to move along radial arcs across tracks on the surface of disk  138 . 
       FIGS. 2A-D  illustrate head sliders  13 A-D. Head sliders  13 A-D are all similar. However, they have slight differences which will be described in detail below. 
       FIG. 2A  depicts head slider  13 A, in accordance to an embodiment of the present invention. The left-side diagram of  FIG. 2A  shows the surface of the head slider  13 A opposing the disk medium (not shown). The right-side of  FIG. 2A  shows a cross-sectional view of the head slider in the Z-axis direction. A layer  2  constituted from alumina (Al2O3) or the like is formed in the positive direction in the X-axis of the main body portion  1  of the head slider  13 A. A lower shield  3 , a read head  4 , an upper shield  5 , a component member  6 , an contact sensor element  8 , an electrode  9  of the contact sensor element  8 , a write head  10  and a wrap around shield (WAS)  11  are formed on the layer  2 . In one embodiment, head slider  13 A includes a thermal flying-height control element (TFC)  14 . 
     A shield structure  7 A constituted from a metal of lower thermal conductivity than the contact sensor element  8  and greater hardness than the contact sensor element  8  is provided on the main body portion  1 -side of the contact sensor element  8 . The shield structure  7 A is electrically connected to the main body portion  1  of the head slider  13 A by the employment of a conductive wire (not shown in the diagram) formed in the interior of the layer  2 . This connection removes the electrification of the shield structure  7 A and, as a result, electrical noise is able to be reduced. 
     The shield structure  7 A affords a reduction in electrical noise, increased signal noise (S/N) ratio of contact sensor element  8 , and improved contact detection sensitivity. In addition, the provision of the shield structure  7 A renders contact between microscopic particles and the contact sensor element  8  less likely and, in turn, renders damage to the contact sensor element less likely. Furthermore, the contact sensor element status is able to be ascertained by the provision of a circuit for monitoring contact sensor element resistance to evaluate the extent of damage. 
     An effect of the shield structure  7 A constituted from a material such as, for example, Fe, Ni, Cu or Cr alloy is a reduction in magnetic noise. The optimum size of this shield structure  7 A is determined in accordance with the magnitude of the coercivity of the disk medium of the magnetic disk device (not shown in the diagram). In one embodiment, a size that approximates the size of the component member  6  is suitable. 
     A gap  12  is provided in proximity of the contact sensor element  8  of the shield structure  7 A. A material (alumina) the same as the material from which the layer  2  is constituted is packed into this gap  12 . The thermal conductivity of this alumina is usually less than the thermal conductivity of the shield structure  7 A. Accordingly, dissipation of the heat of the contact sensor element  8  to the shield structure  7 A is prevented, and the contact detection sensitivity of the contact sensor element  8  is able to be improved. 
     The disk medium is provided in the positive direction in the Z-axis of the shield structure  7 A. The amount that the shield structure  7 A protrudes to the disk medium-side is not less than 1 nm less than the amount the contact sensor element  8  protrudes to the disk medium-side. This configuration maintains the contact sensitivity of the contact sensor element  8  able to be maintained while as far as possible preventing contact between the contact sensor element  8  and the microscopic particles trapped between the disk medium and the head slider  13 A. 
     The power supply electrodes of the contact sensor element  8  are electrically connected to the main body portion of the slider by way of a resistor. This configuration prevents the generation of a large voltage between the contact sensor element  8  and shield structure  7 A when a shorting of the contact sensor element  8  and the shield structure  7 A occurs and, in turn, prevents breakdown of the contact sensor element  8 . 
     A circuit (not shown) is provided for monitoring the contact sensor element  8  resistance value to evaluate the extent of damage. This configuration allows for the extent of the damage to the contact sensor element  8  to be evaluated and, in turn, the status of the contact sensor element  8  to be ascertained. If the contact sensor element  8  has been damaged, the user of the magnetic disk device is notified of the existence of this damage. This notification allows the user the opportunity to either avoid recording any information or to replace the magnetic disk device prior to any possible breakdown of the magnetic disk device, and ensures the “user-friendliness” of the device. 
       FIG. 2B  depicts head slider  13 B, in accordance to an embodiment of the present invention. Head slider  13 B is similar to head slider  13 A. However, a shield structure  7 B is provided in the X-axis direction in the interior of the head slider  13 B. A write head  9  and a TFC (not shown in  FIGS. 2B-D ) or similar are provided in the interior of the head slider  13 B. The shield structure  7 B affords a reduction in the electrical noise that leaks from these elements or the wiring thereof when a voltage is imparted to these elements. And, the shield structure  7 B affords a reduction in the magnetic noise from write head  10 . 
       FIG. 2C  depicts a head slider  13 C, in accordance to an embodiment of the present invention. Head slider  13 C is similar to head slider  13 B. However, the shield structure  7 C is integrated with a WAS  11 . This configuration affords a reduction in the electrical and magnetic noise from the positive direction of the X-axis, including the electrical noise that is generated when a voltage is imparted to the write head  9 , and the magnetic noise from write head  10 . 
       FIG. 2D  depicts a head slider  13 D, in accordance to an embodiment of the present invention. Head slider  13 D is similar to head slider  13 C. However, shield structure  7 D is provided in the Y-axis direction of the contact sensor element  8 . The effect of the provision of the shield structure  7 D in the Y-direction is to afford a reduction in electrical and magnetic noise from the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis direction defines the direction of the head slider  13  when it performs a seeking operation in the radial direction of the disk medium. 
       FIG. 3  depicts method  300  for evaluating the existence of damage on the contact sensor element  8 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In various embodiments, method  300  is carried out by processors and electrical components under the control of computer readable and computer executable instructions. The computer readable and computer executable instructions reside, for example, in a data storage medium such as computer usable volatile and non-volatile memory. However, the computer readable and computer executable instructions may reside in any type of computer readable storage medium. In some embodiments, method  300  is performed at least by HDD  100  as described in  FIG. 1 . 
     The resistance value of the contact sensor element  8  is measured at  310  of method  300 . If the contact sensor element  8  resistance value is within a predetermined value range, at  320 , the contact sensor element  8  is deemed to be normal, and the operation remains in normal mode. If the contact sensor element  8  resistance value is outside the predetermined range at  320 , contact sensor element  8  is deemed to be damaged by particle contact or the like. Next, the contact sensor element  8  is heated by the heat generated from a TFC as a result of current flowing to the TFC, and a calibration of the resistance value of contact sensor element  8  is carried out, at  330 . The “calibration” referred to here defines a determination of the relationship between the temperature and the resistance value of the contact sensor element  8 . Next, the set value for contact sensor element  8  contact detection is changed, at  340 . Thereafter, an alert is issued to the HDD user, at  350 . Subsequently, the operation shifts to end. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention are thus described. While the present invention has been described in particular embodiments, it should be appreciated that the present invention should not be construed as limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to the following claims.