Overview of Fly Height Control Applications in Perpendicular Magnetic Recording

The ability to control head-to-media spacing through a heating element has many technical implications. Properly applying this capability can significantly improve bit error rate (BER) performance in perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR). It also calls for the development of techniques associated with clearance control. A good touchdown detection method and an accurate measurement of spacing change are essential for proper clearance control. This paper analyzes the potential performance improvement through the application of clearance reduction during writing and reading. Touchdown detection methods and spacing calculation accuracy will also be analyzed