US 7,321,476 B2
Method and system for determining contact potential in a hard disk drive
Peter Michael Baumgart, San Jose, Calif. (US); Bernhard E. Knigge, San Jose, Calif. (US); and Charles Mathew Mate, San Jose, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V., Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Filed on Jul. 29, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/192,860.
Application 11/192860 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/691752, filed on Oct. 22, 2003, granted, now 7,016,139.
Prior Publication US 2005/0270684 A1, Dec. 08, 2005
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G11B 27/36 (2006.01); G11B 21/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 360—25  [360/31; 360/75; 360/77.03] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for determining contact potential voltage between a slider body and a hard disk of a hard disk drive, said method comprising:
applying at least one continuous negative direct current (DC) voltage between said slider body and said hard disk;
ceasing application of said at least one continuous negative direct current (DC) voltage;
applying at least one continuous positive direct current (DC) voltage between said slider body and said hard disk; and
in response to applying said direct current (DC) voltages, determining a contact potential voltage due to a difference in work function between said slider body and said hard disk.