Static and dynamic characteristics of active-head sliders

Active-head sliders with a unimorph piezoelectric actuator for flying height control were experimentally evaluated. It was found that the stroke of the actuator is 1.3 to 1.5 nm/V without flying over the disk. The adjustment amount of flying height is about 1.4 nm/V when the active-head slider is flying over the disk. It was found that flying height could be reduced and decrease from 24 to 10 nm by applying 10 V to the actuator under flying condition. Both the air pressure generated at the active-pad and the impact pressure due to the head/disk contact must be taken into account for precise control of flying height.