US 12,444,438 B2
Magnetic head air bearing design with island blocker for smear mitigation
Yong Hu, San Ramon, CA (US); Taichi Nakamura, Sagamihara (JP); Biao Sun, Fremont, CA (US); and Xiaojuan Ran, Shenzhen (CN)
Assigned to Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 19, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/581,359.
Claims priority of application No. 202410178991.6 (CN), filed on Feb. 8, 2024.
Prior Publication US 2025/0259650 A1, Aug. 14, 2025
Int. Cl. G11B 5/60 (2006.01); G11B 33/14 (2006.01); G11B 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC G11B 5/6082 (2013.01) [G11B 33/1446 (2013.01); G11B 2005/0021 (2013.01); G11B 2209/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A slider for a data storage device, the slider having an air-bearing surface (ABS) that includes at least three levels, the at least three levels including a media-adjacent level, a first recessed level, and a second recessed level, wherein, in an orientation in which the ABS is oriented upward, the media-adjacent level is above the first recessed level, and the first recessed level is above the second recessed level, the slider comprising:
a trailing pad comprising a recording head, an outer surface, and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface is at the media-adjacent level and the inner surface is at the first recessed level;
a hole in the inner surface of the trailing pad, wherein a bottom surface of the hole is at the second recessed level; and
an island blocker situated within the hole, wherein a media-facing surface of the island blocker is at the media-adjacent level,
wherein the recording head is situated between the island blocker and a trailing edge of the slider.