Slider Designs that Prevent Stiction

Slider Designs that Prevent Stiction

      The present invention is designed to eliminate the need for
texturing disks in order to avoid adhesion between head and disk,
known as stiction.  The invention includes several embodiments
designed to make it possible to use the entire disk for magnetic
storage without having to texture special portions for the head to
remain in a rest position.

      Our first embodiment consists of a thin optical fiber, mounted
centrally through a vertical cylindrical opening in the head.  The
opposite end of the fiber receives pulsed light from a solid state
laser, such as GaAs or GaAlAs on command.  To release the head, laser
light is directed onto the disk causing thermal sublimation resulting
in a small amount of gas to be released from the adsorbed air.  This
change in pressure serves to release the head from the disk.
Similarly, the light can be directed onto the rails of the head,
causing differential expansion to affect the release

      A variation of this embodiment comprises thin conducting films
evaporated onto the sides of the slider, near the rails.  A current
pulse heats the films causing both differential expansion of the head
as well as releasing surface absorbed gases.  Both effects act to
relieve the stiction.  The release of absorbed gases can be enhanced
by local application of a molecular sieve material.  The materials
are well known to release large volumes of gas upon heating
(typically 40% of the mat...