Glide head apparatus for testing recording media

摘要

A glide head that can be coupled to a mounting base via a load arm includes a gimbal. A slider is coupled to the gimbal and includes an air bearing surface having a downward protrusion. The distance between the protrusion and a disc under test is substantially insensitive to changes in a height measured from a bottom of the mounting base to an upper surface of the disc. Furthermore, the protrusion can have a distal end extending downward such that a distance from the distal end to the disc under test is less than a distance from every other surface of the slider to the disc during operation of the glide head. The glide head can have a fly height that is substantially constant. Therefore, the glide head can provide more accurate and more uniform detection of outwardly projecting defects on the surface of the disc.