Effect of surface texture on the flying characteristics of pico sliders

The effect of surface texture on the flying characteristics of proximity recording sliders is investigated numerically. The effect of texture on slider flying behavior is studied as a function of the characteristics of the texture and the contour design of the slider air bearing. The results show that texturing decreases the flying height. However, pitch and roll are generally increased. It is suggested that texturing can be used to reduce the effect of intermolecular forces by reducing the area over which intermolecular forces act.