Resistive temperature sensors for improved asperity, head-media spacing, and/or head-media contact detection

摘要

A sensor supported by a head transducer has a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and a sensor resistance. The sensor operates at a temperature above ambient and is responsive to changes in sensor-medium spacing. Conductive contacts connected to the sensor have a contact resistance and a cross-sectional area adjacent to the sensor larger than that of the sensor, such that the contact resistance is small relative to the sensor resistance and negligibly contributes to a signal generated by the sensor. A multiplicity of head transducers each support a TCR sensor and a power source can supply bias power to each sensor of each head to maintain each sensor at a fixed temperature above an ambient temperature in the presence of heat transfer changes impacting the sensors. A TCR sensor of a head transducer can include a track-oriented TCR sensor wire for sensing one or both of asperities of the medium.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of head transducers configured to interact with magnetic recording media; a plurality of sensors having a temperature of coefficient of resistance, wherein at least one sensor is provided on each head transducer and is responsive to changes in spacing between the sensor and the media and configured to detect one or both of contact with asperities and head-media contact; and a power source configured to supply bias power to each sensor of each head transducer and to adjust the bias power to maintain each sensor at a fixed temperature above an ambient temperature in the presence of heat transfer changes impacting the sensors.