WeA-3-1 STIFFNESS AND DAMPING EVALUATION OF AIR-BEARING SLIDER IN THE NEAR-CONTACT REGION

Abstract

A method, which analyses the dynamic characteristics of slider air-bearing for hard disk drives, is introduced. A perturbation algorithm, which is free from problems caused by nonlinear forces in the near-contact region, is adopted. A procedure for obtaining the modal parameters, such as modal frequencies and modal damping ratios, is presented. A femt slider used as an example is analyzed, and the results are examined to confirm the method's applicability. The dynamic performance of air-bearing for the near-contact flying height is evaluated and the effect of interfacial force is clarified.